SOUTH HAVEN, MI (WHTC) – A southwest Michigan Humane Society is a top five finalist for Animal Planet’s Pet Nation Renovation.
Al-Van Humane Society is located in South Haven is a no-kill animal shelter serving Allegan and Van Buren Counties for 49 years. in 2017 the Board of Directors adopted the no-kill best practices and currently their live release or save rate in over 98 % says Board President Lisa Galdikas.
Right now they are renovating the Old Blue Star Glass Building on Blue Star Highway. The space will become the new adoption and community education center. So far, $300,00 of the $500,00 renovation process has been raised. All funds raise come from general donations.
Galdikas says they submitted a video to Animal Planet in the previous year and this year they were chosen. For the video they enlisted the help of a ten-year-old volunteer named Alexander to be the spokesperson for Al-Van Humane Society.
“He’d been volunteering with his parents for a couple of years. We thought who better a spokesperson than him to tell our story. He told about the need that we have at the shelter and how we are using every nook and cranny to continue to save animals and why the new building is necessary.”
Galdikas says she had to call them back to make sure it was real. Voting is over, but if they win they will be awarded $50,000 and Animal Planet will film segments of the renovation.
The offer all services including adoptions and several fundraisers will continue until they reach their goal.
A winner will be picked in the Fall of 2017.
