The kennels are all empty. The odor of cats and dogs linger washed on the floors and walls of the vacant shelter. Only one staff member remains, waiting for anyone needing to drop off a stray or pet that can no longer be cared for.
“I have never seen anything like this in my 30 years. We are forced to close, not because of finances, but because everyone took our pets” Shelby Mutt, Owner of the Homeward Animal shelter exclaimed as she locked up the building.
With everyone stuck at home, many people are taking their free time to finally get around to getting that pet they always wanted. The animal shelter gets their pets either from strays or people who can no longer care for their pets. This prevents the problem of a rampant crowd of stray animals taking over the city; as well as facilitating the transfer of pets from one home to another.
Homeward animal shelter has been up and operating in Fargo for the past 63 years. Started by Chris P. Bacon, the shelter has been handed down and entrusted to the most righteous of animal lovers. Minus the opening of the shelter, Homeward has never seen an empty house.
“This Covid-19 may have been bad for us people, but the animals are just thriving”. Mutt went on to explain how this crisis has turned into a miracle for the pets at the shelter. Once having to hold dogs in separate pop up kennels in the facilities cramped and noisy hallways, now lays dormant without even a yip or meow to be heard. Mutt is the only worker in the building, filling out necessary paperwork and handling the business side of it all. The building can come off as barren and depleted of the life it once had, Nikki a manager thought of it in a different light. It’s like when your children leave home to start their lives, you may be sad to see them leave, but happy to know you set them up to live the best life possible.
With no animals, people are lead to believe that that means the shelter is closing. A common misconception is that they are mainly funded through the sale of their pets, however Mutt explained that that simply was not true. “We stay afloat by donations from the community, the charge of the pets sometimes covers the cost to treat them at the vet before they’re ready to go home, but many times it’s actually a loss” When asked what they are going to do now that they are empty, Mutt told reporters that many of their staff will get a long needed vacation, as for her, she will be starting upgrades and repairs to the building that hasn’t been touched since its creation in 1952.
From generous donations from the public and penny pinching from the last several decades, Homeward is finally getting the renovations it truly deserves. “I see this as a complete win, all our pets have gone to loving homes and by the time we see another animal, the place should be brand new and even better prepared to facilitate our babies to their new home. This really is the best problem to have”
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