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Humane Society plans open house at ARC

SALEM- The Humane Society of Columbiana County (HSCC) will begin offering an expanded service to pets and their owners this weekend.

The HSCC is hosting a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m. Friday and open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at its new Animal Resource Complex (ARC) at 721 E. Pidgeon Road. The non-profit organization is leasing the former Habitat for Humanity ReStore to offer pet related resources for Salem and surrounding communities and activities that provide revenue to help run the Humane Society shelter on South Lincoln Avenue.

According to Jenny Pike, HSCC board president, the new facility will provide information such as where to find low cost spay and neuter services and boarding facilities in the area, tools for pet owners, a remote location trainer on scene a couple times each week and seminars about animal health and safety and similar issues. There will also be poochie playtimes, climate controlled indoor dog walking (early morning and late night) and dog training and services, as well as party rentals and special dog friendly events such as movie nights, theme nights and holiday celebrations.

“You’ll not only be able to bring your pet, but involve your whole family,” she said. “And you’ll be able to rent the place so that it is a very controlled environment.”

The new facility will also offer an extensive product area, Pike noted.

“So when we tell them what they need, we will have it here,” she said. “It’s a one-stop center for dogs.”

Currently the facility focuses on dogs, but will expand as the need arises, according to Director Heather Jurina. She said agricultural life will be a big part of the seminars and that proper pet care will be taught to field trip groups.

Most importantly, though, the facility will provide pet owners with the tools needed to keep their pets healthy and safe, hopefully helping prevent neglect that lands animals at the HSCC, Jurina said.

“Most of the time…the majority of people, it’s not that they don’t want to do things for their pets, they just don’t know what to do,” she said. “This will be a place to come for information, attention, instruction.”

The ribbon cutting will include every chamber of commerce in the county and will feature a purple ribbon symbolic of animal abuse awareness. The open house will have pet and animal services from the community on hand and free poochie playtime from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for small dogs and 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. for large dogs (must have proof of vaccinations, rabies shots and spay or neuter).

Pike said the animal complex has been made possible through the help of volunteers from local businesses, organizations and individuals. Donations may be made through the HSCC website, columbianahumane.org; mailed to P.O. Box 101, Salem OH 44460; or dropped off at either location.

“We operate totally on donations,” Jurina said. “The Animal Resource Complex is geared to help produce income. The more help we get, the more help we can give.”

For information call 330-332-8622.

khowell@salemnews.net

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