Dec 1, 2002 By Angie Santello 4 min read

Saturday was like Christmas morning for the 12 cats and 21 dogs in residence at Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in Hopwood. The occasion was the organization’s monthly food and blanket drive.

The campaign, sponsored by 99.3-FM “the Pickle” radio station, succeeded in gaining donations of bales of hay, bags of dog and cat food, cat treats, bottles of bleach, blankets and monetary rewards for the animals.

“The Pickle called and asked us to do a Thanksgiving Day drive,” said Mary Jo Brownfield, employee of the shelter and hostess of the event. “I jumped on that chance. We figure that there’s a lot of drives for people; let’s do one for the animals.”

Disk jockey “Fish” from the station’s morning show, said of sponsoring the drive: “We really appreciate everything that they do here at Noah’s Ark. We wanted to be all the help that we can. We, at the station, really try to help local organizations and are more than willing to assist the shelter when they are in need.”

Although donations from area businesses and residents have enormously benefited the shelter, adoptions of the continuous flow of incoming animals was an original goal for the drive.

With an hour left in the campaign, no adoptions were in sight.

“One fund-raiser is not enough,” said Brownfield. “We need animal cages to house the animals that continue to come in. Over 100 animals per month are brought in.”

According to Brownfield, improvements have been made to the shelter since its opening in June, when the shelter lacked heat and was in need of a lowered ceiling to reduce heating costs.

In the near future, the shelter will receive a heater donated by one of the Chisler brothers, who own Laser Printing in Uniontown. In addition, Carolla Heating of Uniontown has offered to install the heating system. In the summer, employees of the shelter hope to see the construction of an additional building in a lot adjacent to their property with the assistance of a neighboring business. All-Around Fence Company previously donated animal cages, while the shelter is currently in the process of applying for grants to assist in the needed improvements.

“Right now, we are limited on space,” said Brownfield. “We have to take some of the animals that we get in here to a Pittsburgh shelter. We are losing money this way because the animals we ship are bought from this shelter and not our own. But, you always have to take what is brought to you. We can’t turn the animals away.”

The shelter is also in the negotiating process with veterinarian Anita McMillan of Greensburg for convenient access to spaying and neutering procedures for cats and dogs before they are adopted. The required and assisted spaying and neutering of pets is expected to start at the beginning of the year 2003, according to Brownfield.

Currently, a $50 fee is charged upon the adoption of an animal from Noah’s Ark, with $30 refunded to the caregiver upon receipt that a spaying or neutering operation actually took place.

After the recent fall of the Fayette County-based Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, former SPCA employee Robin Moore created a board consisting of those anxious to form another home for the county’s stray animals.

From this panel, the creation of Noah’s Ark began.

“We have the same mission as the SPCA,” said Brownfield. “We are here to help control animal population in the county. We are here for the animals.”

According to Brownfield, the shelter is in need of volunteers and donations.

Those interested in volunteering their time, services or money can contact Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter at 724-439-8620 or visit their location on Atlas Crossing Road in Hopwood.