Animal welfare is a cause that touches the hearts of millions of people every day. But while animal rescuers play a vital role in saving the lives of abandoned and homeless pets, that is not always the end the story. Now one Florida-based charity, Kritters Incorporated, is offering a new solution.
Located in Palm Coast, in northwest Florida, the local charity has drawn together an ambitious plan to build a single 25-acre animal sanctuary to accommodate homeless animals – Krittersville, the Animal Refuge of the Future.
Conceived in November 2013, Kritters Incorporated became a Florida not-for-profit corporation in January 2014. In July that year, it was registered with the IRS as a not-for-profit Public Charity, giving it 501(c)(3) status so donations are tax deductible.
According to Kritters co-founder and CEO David Palmes, the inspiration behind Krittersville lay in the need to provide more for homeless animals after being rescued – something both he and Kritters president, Jo Ann Smerton, became aware of from first-hand experience.
“We have both worked with various rescues over the years, and always came back knowing there was much more that needed to be done,” he says. “Rescue centers could house these animals in the short term. But they needed funding. They needed more assistance. They needed a place to showcase their adoptable pets. It is this need that is driving us to spend all we have to make Krittersville work.”
The Krittersville Plan
While a site has yet to be purchased, the plan for Krittersville incorporates a number of animal-specific areas on one 25-acre tract of land. The compound would also include parking areas, a residence building for volunteers, an animal clinic, a commercial area for vendors, and an adoption area, where animals ready to find a home can be viewed by families looki
ng for suitable pets.
Divided into 5 phases, Krittersville would grow to become more than just an animal sanctuary, with the needs of local artists and the local community also becoming part the project. The final phase will see the development of a community garden, where food can be grown, as well as a memorial garden where people can sit and remember lost loved ones – pets or human.
Krittersville will be governed by a definite set of principals fueled by the determination to promote a more humane solution to animal homelessness, and a goal to be as environmentally friendly and financially self-sufficient as possible. In fact, the mission reads:
Interaction Through The Internet
With animal welfare something that crosses borders, Kritters is happy for people anywhere in the world to get involved. But interaction with supporters is also important, and the Florida-based charity plans to facilitate that through internet technology.
Cameras are already used in many sectors to allow people monitor situations from thousands of miles away. By installing a network of internet cams in the Krittersville compound, members, donors or animal sponsors can see the animals in real time.
Online access is one of the most public ways of building awareness, and giving those interested in animal welfare a chance to feel involved. The network will be set up from the start, so each step of the sanctuary’s development can be followed.
Building Support, Finding Funding
Support for Krittersville is growing, with local companies and individuals making donations – but a lot more needs to be done. The charity has already organized several fundraising events, not least Kritters Jam, a mass pet adoption event held in Daytona Beach’s Main Street Station, which brought 6 local animal shelters together in one drive to promote animal adoption.
Funding is beginning to build, but David admits they are some way off their targets yet. “We have not acquired the land yet and not sure when that will happen. Being as new as we are, we still are working on building ‘trust’, ensuring people we are ‘for real’. When the ‘right’ people know of our plans, the property and funding will be there.”
And as the project continues to build momentum, more volunteers are being invited to get involved. Already a team of 24 volunteers have been helping the board of just 3 officers and 2 directors.
“We want everybody to get involved.” says David. “We need volunteers who love working with and for the ‘kritters’. After all, ‘It’s all 4 the Kritters’.
Krittersville is a project designed to add an extra dimension to animal welfare in Palm Coast, Florida, and provide a safe and secure home for sick, injured and homeless animals.
For more information on Krittersville, visit their MCM Charity Profile page. To find out how you can help, or to make a donation to the project, contact them directly at Kritters.org.
Image: Dogs are just one type of pet to benefit from animal sanctuaries around the world. Photo by Paul Laurent on Flickr. Published through Creative Commons (CC 2.0).