Vance County animal shelter struggles to raise funds for new facility

After receiving a land donation of five acres, Vance County is working to raise $1.6 million to build a new animal shelter. The shelter, which currently has space for about 85 animals and operates on a $389,000 annual budget, hasn't been renovated since it opened 40 years ago.
Posted 3/20/2015, 11:41:24 AM Updated 9/23/2025, 7:50:43 PM

LUNGS, ULCERS AND RESPIRATORY

INFECTIONS.

MOST HAD TO BE EUTHANIZED.

>>> RURAL ANIMAL SHELTERS HAVE

AN UP HILL BATTLE TRYING TO

SAVE LIVES OF ANIMALS IN NEED.

FUNDING AND RESOURCES ARE SOME

OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES BUT

DEDICATION IS NOT.

THE VANCE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER

IS TRYING TO BUILD A NEW

FACILITY, AND JOINING US IS

DIRECTOR, AND WILLIAM COKIER.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> FIRST TO YOU FRANKY, THE

VANCE COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER HAS

BEEN OPEN FOR 40 YEARS, NOW

STARTING TO GET RENOVATION, AND

THINGS NEED TO BE DONE.

HOW HARD IS IT TO RAISE MONEY.

>> IT'S VERY HARD, ESPECIALLY

BEING A POOR COUNTY, AS WE ARE,

IT'S A LOT OF STRUGGLE EVERY

DAY JUST TRYING TO RAISE THE

FUNDS.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN

REAL SUPPORTIVE, AND WE SEE IT

HAPPENING.

IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT JUST MAY TAKE A LITTLE

LONGER THAN WHAT EVERYBODY

WANTS AND OF COURSE WHAT WE

WANT.

>> 40 YEARS IS A LONG TIME FOR

NOT TO HAVE ANY UPDATES HOW

MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST?

>> RIGHT NOW, THE ESTIMATE,

MAYBE AROUND 1.6 MILLION.

NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE YET.

WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH

THAT AT THIS POINT.

>> A LOT OF FUNDS STILL NEEDED.

WILLIAM, YOU HAVE MADE GREAT

STRIDES IN THE COMMUNITY

OUTREACH PROGRAMS, RABIES

CLINIC, HELPING OTHER COUNTIES

IN NEED.

YOU RECENTLY DEALT WITH A CASE

REGARDING A CAT THAT WAS

INTENTIONALLY BURNED.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK TO

DO.

>> I HAD A CALL ABOUT A CAT

THAT WAS INJURED.

PICKED THE CAT UP, AND THE CAT

HAD BEEN BURNED 75% OF HIS

BODY.

IT'S AN ONGOING CASE.

THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT I CAN

SAY ABOUT IT, BUT THE GOOD

NEWS, THE CAT'S DOING GOOD.

HE'S IN GOOD CARE.

>> AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE?

>> YES, AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE

LAST MONTH.

>> GOOD!

QUICKLY, TELL US ABOUT THIS BIG

BASH THIS WEEKEND.

THEY'RE DESTROYING THE GAS

CHAMBER AS PART OF THIS.

THAT'S DICTATED BY STATE LAW.

>> WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO

THIS.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE

TRIED A FUNDRAISER FOR THE NEW

SHELTER.

YES, THE GAS CHAMBER WILL BE

THERE.

WILL BE ABLE TO BE BASHED.

>> THAT'S GOLD, AND HERE'S THE

INFORMATION ON THE

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