A couple of years ago, Central Aroostook Humane Society members never thought they’d be able to build a new animal shelter to replace their decaying building.
Now, they’ve officially moved into their brand-new headquarters in Presque Isle, thanks to fundraising, donations and grants that covered the $940,000 price tag.
For 35 years, the shelter at 24 Cross St. has served most of central Aroostook and been a dropoff point for many animal control officers. But as black mold grew, walls and floors crumbled and the air exchanger stopped working, the building was no longer safe. Although just slightly larger than the old space, the new 3,300-square-foot building will let staff handle more animals in a healthier environment. And with surrendered dogs on the rise, that’s important.
“Dogs have increased so much that it’s not even funny,” shelter Executive Director Betsy Hallett said. “We’ve had probably the highest amount of puppies ever this year. I’m going to bet that we’ve had at least eight litters, which is a huge impact on us.”
The shelter has served more dogs every year since the pandemic hit, largely because most local veterinarians aren’t taking new patients so people can’t get vet care, Hallett said. Others simply can’t afford the cost of care.
Last year the shelter served about 275 dogs and 450 cats, she said. Cats are actually decreasing, likely due to low-cost neuter and spay clinics held by Caribou’s Halfway Home Pet Rescue and other entities.
The society contracts with 31 communities in Central Aroostook. The old building could hold roughly 10 dogs and 26 cats at one time, while the new shelter can hold 15 dogs and 36 cats under normal conditions.
Staff are loving their new quarters, Hallett said. The move solves a multitude of structural and air quality issues. With cracks in the floors, it was hard to heat the old building and keep germs at bay, since the open cracks allowed bacteria and mold to grow. One wall was bowed out due to moisture. The air exchanger also hadn’t worked for a few years.
The new dog area has dual cages with flap doors, so dogs can move into one side while the other side is cleaned. Previously, dogs had to be taken outside while staff cleaned.
Another helpful feature is separate dog and cat rooms that animal control officers can access during off-hours. Previously, animals went into one room, with cats often affected by the barking of equally frightened dogs.
“It causes so much more stress [for the cats], and stress causes more upper respiratory issues,” Hallett said. “Now we have separate rooms for dogs and cats on opposite sides of the building. It’s much calmer for the cats.”
Gifts and donations for the building totaled $945,000, humane society secretary Gloria Towle and board member Carolyn Cheney said. But it was a large bequest from animal lover Percis Ashley of Presque Isle that started the ball rolling.
Ashley died in 2021 and willed money to the society specifically for a new shelter. Humane society officials will not disclose the amount of the gift because Ashley’s family doesn’t want the amount known publicly, Towle said.
A special room at the shelter was named in her honor. The Percis Ashley room has comfortable chairs, tables and a large assortment of pet toys, so prospective adopters can visit with animals in a quiet atmosphere.
Other large boosts included a $200,000 grant from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation of Freeport, $68,500 for the shelter’s air exchanger from Aroostook County’s American Rescue Plan Act funds and $48,000 from a benefactor named Richard Hasher, whom no one on the board knows, Towle said.
The humane society’s annual gala, Toast to the Animals, brought in $11,000, and an in-person and Facebook fundraiser with Jordan’s Way and Kris Rotonda of Florida netted more than $13,000. The Maine Animal Coalition of Portland conducted a GoFundMe campaign that raised another $9,000.
Rounding out the effort were many local fundraisers, a letter-writing drive and community donations that, all told, brought in approximately $17,000, Cheney said.
“So many people donated, and I just love what kids did — sold lemonade, had bottle drives, did classroom campaigns,” Cheney said. “I really feel that people and businesses and children came through for us.”
Planning started in March 2023. The city of Presque Isle gifted the land at 210 Cross St. to the humane society in exchange for their former property. Crews from Buck Construction broke ground last December.
Moving started in late October, and by mid-December nearly everything had been moved and was in place at the new building. Though there’s less storage space, the society plans to move the storage building to the new location in the spring, and will install privacy fencing per its agreement with the city, Cheney said.
While the new shelter is here, the work continues, Towle said. The extra $5,000 raised for the building fund will be used for general maintenance, and there will always be utilities, upkeep, food and cleaning needs.
Besides Hallett, employees include another full-time person and two part-timers. It’s good for them to walk into a new and much healthier building, and it’s also better for the animals they’ll be seeking loving homes for, Towle said.
“We never thought we could have pulled off a new building,” she said. “When we stop and think about the amount of people and businesses that donated, it’s amazing. It’s rewarding to see the completion of the shelter and know that it’s here to serve Aroostook County.”
