NEWS RELEASE


COUNTY'S CANINES PRESENTED EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT FROM THE POLING'S

 

                    DECEMBER 14, 2006

                    The Pickaway County Commissioners have received a pledge of $90,000 from Drexel and Sheila Poling to
                    help fund the construction of a new animal shelter for Pickaway County.  Their gift is in honor of Drexel's
                    late aunt and uncle, Neal and Donna Mae Wright.

                    In recognition of their generous gift, the new facility will be named the Wright Poling Animal Shelter Complex.

                    The current dog kennel is over 60 years old, with only nine cages available.  These inadequacies make it
                    difficult to meet today's needs.

                    Nearly 800 dogs arrive at the shelter each year.  Forty percent are adopted or returned to their owners.  To
                    significantly raise this adoption rate and to provide a cat facility, a new shelter is greatly needed.

                    As currently planned, the new shelter will be approximately 3,000 square feet and contain 36 cages.  This
                    new metal-style building will likely be located on the current 6-acre site in Washington Township.

                    Since the County's capital plan could not accommodate the full cost of this new facility, a private/public
                    partnership was formed with the Commissioners, agreeing to provide half of the required funds if the other
                    half could be raised from private donations and fund-raisers.  Partners for Paws, a volunteer group founded
                    by Jeannie McDowell in early 2006, accepted that challenge.  This non-profit group has not only raised public
                    awareness of the need, but has also collected over $15,000 for the new shelter.

                    The design of the new facility will be the responsibility of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, a 7-member
                    group formed by the Commissioners in June of 2006.

                    Drexel and Sheila have been life-long residents of Pickaway County and have contributed to the betterment of
                    our community in countless ways over many years.  This gift reflects not only their love of animals, but their
                    love of Pickaway County as well.

                    Although much remains to be done, the Poling's generosity will help make it possible to build a shelter our
                    four-legged friends deserve and of which we can all be proud.