Non-Profit Supports Development of County Animal Shelter

On Tuesday, a Potomac non-profit organization will reinforce its mission to help lost and abused animal in Montgomery County and back the development of an animal shelter in the county.

Allan Cohen, the chairman of MCPAW — an organization founded to supplement the building and maintenance of a state-of-the-art animal services and adoption center in Montgomery County — will speak at 6:30 p.m. at the County Executive Building in Rockville on Tuesday.

At the meeting, Cohen and other MCPAW board members will unveil the shelter model and learn the current status of the county’s new animal shelter, which will be named the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center. Cohen will present the information to County Executive Ike Leggett, County Councilmember Phil Andrews, Chairman of the Public Safety Committee and other invited Council members, he said in a news release.

“The new shelter will include a spay and neuter clinic and will be funded by the County with the assistance of this community partnership,” Cohen said in the release. “MCPAW was created solely as the unique private/public partnership to raise the necessary funds to ensure that it is, and always will be, state-of-the-art.”

The shelter, which will be located at the corner of Muncaster Mill Road and Airpark Drive in Rockville, is scheduled to start construction this Spring and will be completed around Winter 2012. The facility is scheduled to open in Spring 2013.

This new center will be twice the size of the county’s current shelter and house more than twice the number of animals, according to MCPAW’s website. Also, the shelter will have public adoption areas, private animal holding and treatment areas, a classroom, conference room and office space. 

MCPAW is working to raise money for the new Animal Services & Adoption Center by the end of 2011 and needs donations to help reach that goal. To make a donation, click here. If you’re not able to donate money, MCPAW is looking for volunteer members to help out with specialized skills.

“I hope you will join us and consider becoming a member of the volunteer corps (or “Pawtners”) of this new organization,” Cohen said.