Cape animal shelter expansion underway
It was a milestone day for the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, as ground was officially broken for its expansion that will help serve more four-legged companions throughout Southwest Florida.
Many supporters, volunteers, and dignitaries gathered Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the occasion, as the new, 19,000-square-foot facility will sit right next to CCAS’s current location at 325 SW 2nd Ave.
The expanded shelter will significantly increase capacity, allowing CCAS to care for more abandoned and unwanted animals and find them loving homes. Along with the larger shelter, the existing building will be revamped into a more extensive, low-cost community veterinary clinic, enhancing services with additional exam rooms, surgical suites, and recovery areas to serve residents in need of affordable pet care.
Founder and Board President JoAnn Elardo said with the growth of Cape Coral and Southwest Florida, the need to expand was imminent.
“The Cape Coral community is expanding so rapidly, (and) we’re trying to get ahead of that,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons why we’ve started, and started early, because we see the need. We know the need is coming, and we want to be ready for it. We don’t want to be falling behind at all.”
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Elardo spoke to the mission of CCAS: to save animals and put them in a loving home. She said at the moment, the current facility is unable to keep up with current demands, and that the expansion will give CCAS the ability to assist so many more abandoned pets, as well as serve more local pet owners via its veterinary clinic.
As of Tuesday, CCAS has helped 5,145 animals get adopted and find forever homes since its inception in 2020. They have also served more than 6,000 animals in its low-cost clinic.
“That’s why (our facility) needs to be bigger. We could double that,” said CCAS Executive Director Liz McCauley, adding that the shelter is at capacity every day. “We just do not have enough space for veterinarians to handle all of the animals that need our services. Many of the clients that come to us can’t afford to go anywhere else, and some of them have never been to a vet. That’s why we’re here, to help animals in the community.
“It breaks my heart when people reach out to me to (take an animal) and we can’t because we don’t have the room. We’re going to change that.”
CCAS has performed thousands of spay/neuter operations in its facility, many being free of charge thanks to grant funding. They also assist Lee County Domestic Animal Services, as well as other rescues across Florida, in taking in dogs and cats.
Currently, there are more than 1,200 active volunteers at CCAS who have devoted a total of 240,000 hours to the organization.
“We could not do what we do without our volunteers,” McCauley said.
Elardo added, “If we didn’t have our volunteers, we would be nothing. I mean, this is really a community shelter. There’s nothing more than the love that we’re getting from our volunteers and our team members, and they’ve built us to this level.”
As for the timeline for the expansion, Elardo said while she wishes they could open tomorrow, she hopes that if all goes well, they can begin operating out of the new facility by the end of next summer.
There is still some fundraising to do for the $8 million project.
“We’re probably looking to raise at least another million, million-and-a-half to two million dollars,” Elardo said. “We’re more than halfway there.”
CCAS’ recent Capital Campaign Fundraiser is a major source of fundraising dollars. The shelter is also looking for naming rights.
“There are few opportunities in life where you can donate directly to your community and see the tangible difference your contribution makes,” Elardo said. “By supporting our naming rights program, you’ll create a lasting legacy. Years from now, your children, grandchildren, friends, and family can visit the shelter, see your name on a plaque, and know that you were part of something truly special.”
Elardo noted that, besides the great impact the shelter has had on the animals, the organization, in general, has contributed so much to Cape Coral.
“We are proud to employ 28 dedicated staff members, and more than 1,000 volunteers find the time they spend at the shelter to be incredibly rewarding,” she said. “As we expand, both of these numbers will continue to grow. The new building will be constructed by local contractors, suppliers, and craftsmen, further strengthening our community ties. This shelter is truly an asset, and we are committed to ensuring its continued impact. This has always been my vision for CCAS.”
Elardo’s message to those thinking about adopting a pet?
“When you come into a place like the Cape Coral Animal Shelter, our dogs have been vetted,” she said. “They’re well taken care of. They are medically looked at. They get all their shots. They’re spayed and neutered. We actually put them through even a little bit of training. They’re out with volunteers every day and used to people. We’d like for you to come on in, because we have a beautiful number of cats and dogs.”
The Cape Coral Animal Shelter & Veterinary Clinic is at 325 S.w. 2nd Ave.
For more information about CCAS, its events, to become a volunteer, to inquire about its veterinary services, or to adopt, visit capecoralanimalshelter.com.
To reach CJ HADDAD, please email cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com