Angels for Animals hosts dinner for veterinary Wing campaign

March 12, 2017 at 12:09a.m.

CANFIELD

Angels for Animals Inc. is getting closer to raising the funds to build a large expansion, one buffet dinner and gift raffle at a time.

“We should break ground later this year,” said Diane Less, Angels’ founder, referring to the $10 million Angel Wing that will feature a full-service veterinarian clinic.

Another step toward that goal was Saturday evening’s annual Reverse Raffle dinner at the facility, 4750 W. South Range Road (state Route 165).

At least 220 tickets were sold for the event, the proceeds of which are to go to the Angel Wing campaign. A goal of the dinner and raffle was to bring in $15,000, Less noted.

So far, about $6 million of the cost has been raised to build the 25,000-square-foot wing, which will greatly enhance the capabilities of the 13,500-square-foot shelter, Less explained, adding that it could be open by late 2019.

Typically, Angels houses around 120 cats and between 25 and 35 dogs. The facility has 200 to 300 volunteers, Less said.

The addition also will offer X-ray and dental services for abandoned, injured and abused animals as well as owned pets in need while expanding Angels’ ability to spay and neuter dogs and cats. The shelter performs an estimated 10,000 such procedures each year; the new wing will allow the facility to do about 25,000 annually, which will further cut down on the population of unwanted pets, she continued.

“Our facility is a no-birth shelter,” Less said. “The whole idea is to stop animals from being born so they will not suffer and die.”

Among those happy with Angels’ efforts is Patrick Bateman of Poland, a business-management professor at Youngstown State University’s Williamson College of Business.

“What you see is what you get. She’s super happy and sweet,” he said, referring to Simba, a 5-year-old golden retriever he adopted nine months ago from Angels.

Bateman spent about two years as a shelter volunteer, which included walking the dogs, he said. During Saturday’s dinner, Simba wore a large plastic pouch for collecting donations.

In the last few years, Angels also has greatly expanded its reach and scope online. In 2014, the shelter had about 27,000 Facebook followers, compared with roughly 164,000 today, noted Megan Zarlenga, dog coordinator.

“The responses are unreal,” said Zarlenga, who began as a volunteer in November 2011.

Social-media exposure often encourages people to donate toys and dog and cat food. A few weeks ago, enough money was generated to provide heartworm treatment for four dogs, something that usually is between $600 and $1,000 per dog, she explained.

Zarlenga, who also writes stories online about individual animals, recalled that a dog with special needs was featured on Facebook, which led to a showing on Yahoo News. About a month later, a man in Montana adopted the dog after passing home and background checks, she said.

To make a donation, call 330-502-5352. You can also buy a square foot in the Angel Wing for $200. And a Cake Auction and Basket Raffle is set for 4 p.m. March 25 at the shelter.