At-Large Huntington City Councilman Bob Bailey presented a check Tuesday, Oct. 4, for $75,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the Western West Virginia Animal Rescue Alliance, the nonprofit organization that supports the Huntington Cabell Wayne Animal Control Shelter.
The funding will be used toward the renovation of the building on the former Cook School property at 1899 James River Road, located near the Animal Control Shelter. The Western West Virginia Animal Rescue Alliance bought the property from the Huntington Municipal Development Authority this past spring.
When the renovations are complete, the building will be used to care for shelter animals.
“I am deeply appreciative of and grateful for the support of Councilman Bailey and Mayor Steve Williams,” said Courtney Proctor Cross, executive director of the Animal Control Shelter. “Our shared love for animals and our collective vision that the shelter could be run differently has allowed us to transform the way we care for unsheltered animals in our community. Our hard-working staff, the ongoing support from our animal-loving community and our dedicated animal rescue groups have made that vision possible.”
The City of Huntington received $40,628,967 in ARPA funds in 2021. The funding is meant to help communities across the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of Huntington City Council’s 11 representatives was designated with $100,000 in ARPA funds to distribute to community projects that qualify under the guidelines of the American Rescue Plan Act.
“The COVID-19 pandemic placed a strain on the operations of the Animal Control Shelter in numerous ways,” Bailey said. “Under Courtney Proctor Cross’ leadership, the facility has been able to weather those hardships and still move forward with its mission of providing the best possible care and loving homes for our community’s unsheltered animals.”
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