St. Louis' First "Green" Animal Shelter Is On It's Way
Animal shelters all over the US, from Middleton, RI to Los Angeles, CA, are working to not only improve the lives of the four-legged friends in their communities, but also the two-legged folks around them. The last few years have seen the ribbons cut on LEED-certified animal shelters across the US, and St. Louis City will not be far behind.
The Animal House Fund, a non-profit organization founded by local philanthropist Ed Throop, is getting closer to breaking ground on the city's first green animal shelter, and they anticipate putting the shovel to the dirt to start building before Fall 2010. The facility, which was designed by St. Louis' HOK architects, will be built in the newly dubbed Francis R. Slay Park at the intersections of Arsenal and McCausland. Kate Ewing, a spokesperson and driving force behind the non-profit said, "We are using as many sustainable materials throughout the structure as we can, installing a green roof and focusing on green merchandise. The new facility will also use environmentally friendly watering and washing systems- this means fewer chemicals on [a] daily basis for a cleaner, healthier building."
There is still a ways to go before the shelter can replace the run-down, 65+ year old building that is currently serving as the city's main animal shelter, and there are many opportunities to volunteer and get involved with the organization. The organization's website and blog has information about volunteering time, and the fundraising events that are being held to help build a shelter that is good for all the city's residents - furry or not.
