Whether you’re searching for your next forever friend or you need a place that your buddy can stay while you vacation, Paws + Claws does it all.

“A ton of thought went into this building. Everything from the color to music playing to keeping one side of the building separate from another, and we have 11 separate HVAC systems to keep air circulating and keep it all contained between dogs in shelter versus dogs in board,” says Kaitlyn Yutrzenka, marketing specialist for Paws + Claws.

In addition to boarding and rescue, the facility also does grooming and hosts regular donation drives for the animals they serve. They also help with process of surrendering an animal.

“Initially when they come in we do their intake, so we check to make sure that they are not showing any signs of illness. If they are, we treat for anything as far as ear mites, conjunctivitis – any medical condition that a pet might’ve come in with, diabetes, epilepsy,” adds Misty Hoopman, director of operations and licensed veterinarian with Paws + Claws.

“Our mission here at Paws and Claws is saving animal lives, educating youth and completing families. That’s our goal each and every day, especially the educating youth piece. We take opportunities when we have people who have their birthday parties here for their children where we can take a few minutes to provide education on the importance of spaying and neutering their family pets,” says Corretta Czycalla, the executive director for Paws + Claws.

Educational opportunities are frequently hosted on site. For example, one employee recently gave a presentation about an experience he had in Africa.

“I had a lot of people come up to me after the presentation and they were like, ‘I love living through your experiences,’ and I think that was great that I was able to share it and I thank Paws + Claws for that,” says Michael Lutterman, an operations assistant for Paws + Claws.

The facility has only been open for two years but so far has seen tremendous success. They just celebrated their 500^th adoption last week. If you want to get involved, they are always accepting volunteers.

“We start off with a brief PowerPoint and then there’s a tour of the facility, you get to meet all the animals! You meet some of the animal care staff members and then, of course, you get to meet some of the kitties and the dogs, too,” says Ally Garde, operations assistant with Paws + Claws.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities and the services Paws + Claws provides, click here.

By — Shirelle Moore