Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association Director Chelsea Staley watched intently Friday as the shelter’s incinerator was dismantled and taken away.
She said the only thing she could think of when she looked at the big, hulking cremation machine was the faces of the dogs and cats that the shelter has put down over the years.
“This is huge,” Staley said as the incinerator’s metal chimney was hoisted up from the roof by a piece of machinery. “This is symbolic for us. We’ve been working toward this for two years. I can’t even describe to you how fulfilling this is.”
With the incinerator gone, Staley said the shelter
Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association Director Chelsea Staley watched intently Friday as the shelter’s incinerator was dismantled and taken away.
She said the only thing she could think of when she looked at the big, hulking cremation machine was the faces of the dogs and cats that the shelter has put down over the years.
“This is huge,” Staley said as the incinerator’s metal chimney was hoisted up from the roof by a piece of machinery. “This is symbolic for us. We’ve been working toward this for two years. I can’t even describe to you how fulfilling this is.”
With the incinerator gone, Staley said the shelter
The small garage the incinerator was housed in will now be used as storage, and a freed up storage building will house 32 additional cat cages for ill cats that need to be isolated. With the help of professional garage door services all the repair works were done smoothly. The move will free up 28 cages in the main building for adoptable cats. She said the shelter will now have 249 total cages for animals.
Staley said the shelter has gotten creative in handling the numbers of animals it keeps, rather than euthanizes.
“We send a lot of animals out of state to rescue,” Staley said.
“We do a really good job of being transparent with the public. So if we are full, and we don’t move some animals, we’re going to have to euthanize them. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the truth.”
Rodney Loftis and Son Contracting of Charleston donated its time and equipment to remove the incinerator. Rodney Loftis, II, said he has helped the shelter in the past by fostering animals and by helping the shelter get clean water for the animals during the water crisis. But he said being able to take away the shelter’s incinerator was especially rewarding.
“You’re taking away their ability to kill mass amounts of animals, or any animals at all, and I think it’s a huge point for this shelter to be able to reach that level,” Loftis said. “It’s pretty rewarding.”
Staley said the removal of the incinerator is a step in the right direction, but with summer coming up, more animals will be coming in and animals may have to be euthanized if the shelter gets overcrowded. She encouraged animal owners to be responsible and seek out the shelter as a last resort for unwanted pets.
To celebrate the incinerator’s removal, the shelter is cutting 50% off adoption fees through Sunday. The shelter can be contacted at 304-342-1576.
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