Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary nears completion of expansion

A no-kill animal shelter in Jackson is nearing completion of an expansion that will hold up to 250 displaced cats.

The board members and volunteers of Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary said it's a necessity. Debbie Johnson calls it a miracle.

"We knew our lease wasn't going to be renewed and needed a place for all of our cats to go," said Johnson, former director of the Sundog Cat Sanctuary in Bloomfield, Mo. "The way it's come together in just six months has been unbelievable."

Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary decided to build the 2,400-square-foot building when it learned last fall that Sundog Cat Sanctuary's lease was not going to be renewed. A "Give Me Shelter" financial campaign began. Two-thirds of the $60,000 goal has been met, forcing Safe Harbor to borrow $20,000.

Sundog Cat Sanctuary transported 74 cats to the facility off Route W on Monday. Safe Harbor director Alice Wybert said 19 cats that remain at the facility will have to be trapped in order to bring them to Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary.

Kittens play early Wednesday at Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in Jackson. (Kit Doyle)

"Some of them lived at that facility for nearly seven years," Wybert said. "It's been their home, and they're scared because they don't want to leave a place they've known for so long."

BBL of Perryville, Mo., completed the exterior in June and contractor Jerry Simmons of Exterior Plus of Cape Girardeau completed the most of the interior of the building Friday, a month later than Wybert had hoped. Volunteers are responsible for such tasks as finishing the insulation and installing shelves.

She said more volunteers are needed to finish remaining work on the interior, especially those with electrical and carpentry experience.

"Since we're an all-volunteer shelter, having people donate their time is of the utmost importance," Wybert said. "We're always looking for more people who have a love for animals and understand how critical something like this is for them."

An abandoned animal is what led Lisa Mirly to begin volunteering at the shelter in 2008. Her daughter, Grace, brought home a kitten from Jackson City Park and, after dropping the feline off at the shelter, adopted the animal three months later.

"We get to help cats like that here," Mirly said. "For kids it's the value of giving back themselves. There couldn't be a better way than this to help them learn life's not all about them."

Volunteer Hannah Beasley started volunteering at the shelter in mid-June because she believes neglected animals need a tender touch in their lives.

"I'd hate to think what would happen to these cats if the shelter were to ever shut down," Beasley said. "These sweet animals need something like this to make their lives a little better."

Wybert opened Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary in July 2005 because of her love of animals, especially those that were abandoned or neglected. She planned on accepting 50 cats in its one building but immediately 30 more felines were added.

The shelter in November turned a home on the property into office space, a kitchen and an isolation area for animals who are new mothers and their kittens and those recovering from an injury. Once the newest building is complete, she plans to convert the facility first built in 2005 into the Omega House, a haven for terminally ill cats.

For more information about the Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary call 243-9823 or visit www.safeharboranimalsanctuary.org.

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

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Pertinent address:

359 Cree Lane, Jackson, MO