KALISPELL — An animal shelter in Kalispell has launched a fundraiser after its building suffered severe damage during last month's below-zero temperatures, which forced several pets out of the facility and into foster care.
During January's cold snap, equipment and pipes burst in the Humane Society of Northwest Montana's building, including the cat and puppy rooms.
The first incident of frozen pipes occurred on January 12th in the shelter's attic, but the second incident proved much worse, according to executive director Stacie DaBolt.
"A week later we had another cold snap and the actual boiler shut down, which shut the whole system down, which then busted two more air exchange systems," she said.
The damage caused problems with heating, air circulation, and animal and employee safety. While some animals were moved into the front offices of the Humane Society, several other animals were taken into foster care by community members.
The incident also expedited some adoption processes, but slowed down the amount of animals the Humane Society could accept.
Repairs are underway, but the disruption has lasted nearly four weeks.
"We got two of the three equipment pieces fixed, and as we're speaking, they're actually working on the last repair," DaBolt said. "So by this weekend, moving into next week, we should be back up and running as far as being able to bring animals back into the building and being able to help people we have owner surrender requests for."
While repairs are already being made, the cost is high, which is why the Humane Society has launched a fundraiser online.
"Our goal is $30,000, that's pretty much the basic that we need to cover all of the repairs," said DaBolt. "And part of this fundraiser and raising the $30,000 is to also mitigate future problems by putting some spray foam up in the attic spaces that have never had it since the original build."
The fundraiser is about recouping the money they're having to spend out of their normal cash flow, which supports the needs of the animals, according to DaBolt.
"We can't function without the community's support," she added.
You can find the link to the Boiler Blues fundraiser here. You can also drop off a check at the Humane Society of Northwest Montana, which is located at 100 Adopt A Pet Way in Kalispell.
The shelter is still open for adoptions, especially dogs.
Volunteers are also needed. If you're interested in helping, you're encouraged to visit the Humane Society's website.
