The Goochland County Board of Supervisors joined by representatives from Goochland Pet Lovers, Goochland County Animal Protection and For the Love of Animals in Goochland (FLAG) kicked off construction of the new facility. Also in attendance were representatives from the project architect, Dominion Seven Architects, and project contractor, BFE Construction, Inc.
Goochland County is building the new 13,941 square foot state of the art facility in collaboration with Goochland Pet Lovers. This modern facility will incorporate a shelter, adoption, care, and education center far surpassing the size of the current Animal Shelter. Planning for the project began in January 2015.
“It’s not just the walls of a building that make an animal shelter an animal shelter, it’s the people of a community that really make the shelter what it is,” said John Budesky, county administrator. “In the past year FLAG has closed its shop and Pet Lovers and others are carrying that torch now, but seeing the work that FLAG has done for so many years and they have made a major contribution as they close their doors to allow us to open ours even wider.”
“We are delighted that Goochland County and the Goochland Pet Lovers will be continuing to serve our community in this new facility and all I can say is we wish you the greatest success,” said Georgetta Griffin, Treasurer for FLAG.
During the ceremony Cindy Pryor, Chair of the Goochland Pet Lovers Campaign Cabinet and Richard & Kathy Verlander, Co-Chairs of the Goochland Pet Lovers Promise Campaign presented Goochland County with a check for $500,000 towards the project.
“Our total raise to date is $831,454 and we are just getting going,” said Tom Winfree, Chairman of the Goochland Pet Lovers Board of Directors.
Better oriented on the site of the current Animal Shelter, it is designed to meet the needs of Animal Protection for the next 20+ years. Estimated completion and opening is anticipated for Fall 2018.
“We want to thank all the many individuals that have supported Goochland Animal Protection and helped us turn this vision of a state of the art facility into a reality here in Goochland,” said Tim Clough, Director of Goochland County Animal Protection.