SPCA of West Michigan to get new building

WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - The SPCA of West Michigan works hard to make life better for abused or abandoned animals, helping them recover, or finding them a new, loving, home.

However, the agency badly needs a new home of its own, and now it's getting one.

It was bagels, not beagles that the SPCA's current building on Peekstock Road in Kalamazoo was originally built for.

"This building was never built or designed to house homeless animals, so we have a lot of problems here," said Jim Diloreto, Board President of the SW Mich SPCA.

Some of those problems are immediately apparent, others you might not notice right away.

"Take a look at the grungy floor," said Diloreto. "We've got simple, makeshift, ventilation, obviously not what we need."

Fans in the current building try to make up for the inadequate ventilation, but pushing air around rather than out causes its own problems.

"The spread of disease from sick pets coming in from pounds to healthy pets here waiting for adoption," said Diloreto.

But, all that is about to change. The SPCA has a new site, a four and a half acre piece of land on the corner of KL and 8^th Streets in Oshtemo Township.

"Floor drains, isolated heating and ventilation air equipment, adoptable rooms, pet care rooms, everything sanitary, healthy, clean, safe, environment to animals and staff working with them," said project manager Michael Kounelis.

The project has been in the works for a few years, and funding it is going to take a big chunk of change, which has proven somewhat tough to raise in rough economic times.

"I was very worried last October when the economic crisis hit, I thought we were headed for a very rough year," said Diloreto.

But Diloreto has been pleasantly surprised, so far the SPCA has raised about half of the money needed for the new facility.

"Still quite a ways to go," said Diloreto. "As of today, about $660,000 of the $1.2 million goal has been raised."

The SPCA is hoping that the generosity of pet lovers will come up with the rest, if not, the SPCA will take on a long term mortgage.

The SPCA hopes to open the door to their new building by January.