Proposed main entrance and south facade of the new
Animal Rescue Project Charles & Lynn Zhang Animal Rescue Center
Our New Home
We Need Your Support
Foundation of Care,
Future of Love
Future of Love
A Capital Campaign
Our thriving rescue and adoption program is being held back by a cramped and deteriorating shelter on the south side of Kalamazoo.
It’s time for Animal Rescue Project to spread its wings and get the home it deserves—a rescue and adoption center that can deliver
on our community’s demand for great family pets. We’ve found that home in an existing 11,600 sq. ft. facility on Sprinkle Road in
Comstock Township. But we need to make extensive renovations to the building before we can move in. We need your help!
Care Needs a Solid Foundation
On any given day, our current facility at 219 Peekstok Drive in Kalamazoo houses 75 dogs and 30 cats – all awaiting adoption. The 6,800 sq. ft. facility was not originally built as a shelter and cannot handle the number of pets we serve, nor is it properly equipped to accommodate sick animals. With each passing year, the facility further deteriorates. The problems are numerous and multi-dimensional.
The existing structure and floor plan make for a high-stress environment. Dogs and cats are housed in close proximity, and noise levels make it difficult for fearful pets to cope and find success in the shelter.
Inherent physical limitations contribute to the spread of communicable diseases among the pet population. The shelter has poor ventilation and inadequate drainage.
The demand for our sheltering services is far greater than our capacity. Because we are committed to finding homes for all adoptable animals, our shelter fills to capacity quickly. It is critically important to find new ways to maximize our space.
Our Future is Built with Love
Renovating the current facility was neither economically feasible nor practical, so the Board of Directors searched for a larger space in a more visible and desirable location and found the perfect solution. In March of 2023, Animal Rescue Project purchased an 11,600 sq. ft. facility on Sprinkle Road just north of the I-94 Connector.
Like Peekstok, the new facility at 1616 Construction Drive in Comstock Township requires a lot of renovation and retrofitting to the needs of an effective animal shelter. Major work needs to be done in the interior of the building as well as the exterior.
Our new home will significantly expand our capacity for rescue. It will effectively segregate dogs and cats in different areas, and it will accommodate an in-house medical room. It will also provide space for new ways to bring people and pets together. In particular, we will be able to set aside floor space for a much needed program called Keeping People and Pets Together. This program, in partnership with the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, provides temporary shelter and care for the pets of persons fleeing domestic abuse as well as pets living on the street with homeless persons during times of extreme weather.
Proposed west facade, facing Sprinkle Road
With breathing room will come more saved lives and new ways to bring people and pets together!
Campaign Budget & Progress
We have been raising funds for the past 18 months in the “silent” phase of our campaign to create a new home for Animal Rescue Project. This table summarizes our need:
| Costs | |
|---|---|
| Purchase of 1616 Construction Dr. |
$
800,000
|
| Interior and exterior renovations | 1,100,000 |
| Construction and design fees | 121,000 |
| Contingency | 119,000 |
| Total Financial Requirements |
$
2,140,000
|
The campaign has so far locked down $1.4MM through the following sources:
We Need Your Support
We need an additional $740,000 to realize the full vision for our future home.
Being always practical and resourceful, we have devised a plan to build out the vision in stages, so that we can move into the shelter more quickly. Your support will speed our relocation to our new home – and will contribute to more lives saved and more ways to bring people and pets together.
There are several ways to contribute to our campaign:
- Our website: click on the “Donate” button
- Venmo: @animalrescueproject
- Zelle: info@animalrescueproject.org
- Personal check payable to: Animal Rescue Project
However you give, please indicate how you wish your donation to be directed: to our campaign, to our
rescue program, or to both.
Animal Rescue Project is a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your charitable gift is tax-
deductible to the full extent of state and federal law. Please check with your tax advisor
to determing how your gift may affect your personal tax situation.
Campaign Leadership
Co-Chairs
Torry Chafty
Maryann Flynn
Sarah Torrence
Board of Directors*
James Di Loreto
President
Torry Chafty
Vice President
Marie Salvato
Treasurer
John Hertel, Esq.
Secretary
Todd DeHaan
Kathy Eckler, DVM
Maryann Flynn
Jack Frost
Jill Murphy
Cathleen Staples
Sarah Torrence
*Animal Rescue Project’s Board of Directors have achieved 100% participation in the
Foundation of Care, Future of Love Capital Campaign
Animal Rescue Project focuses on saving at-risk pets in pound facilities. We save homeless pets, one at a time, give them medical care and a safe temporary home, and provide responsible adoption services to those seeking pets.
Featured Pets
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Contact Us
Animal Rescue Project
219 Peekstok
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
219 Peekstok
Kalamazoo, MI 49001
Monday - Friday:
12:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Saturday:
11:00am to 4:00 pm
Sunday:
Closed