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By Marty Finley – Reporter, Louisville Business First
Dec 18, 2018, 2:06pm EST Updated Dec 18, 2018, 2:59pm EST
A Louisville nonprofit that specializes in the treatment, rehabilitation and placement of abused and neglected animals is looking to establish a new rescue complex in Louisville’s East End that will allow it to take on more animals in need.
The Arrow Fund Inc. recently launched a $1.5 million capital campaign to build a new facility that will house its administrative offices, overnight boarding for in-treatment animals and space for volunteer, advocacy and foster training classes.
Rebecca Eaves, president of The Arrow Fund, said the complex will be equipped with state-of-the-art kennels as well as rehabilitation kennels for animals who have undergone surgeries and other treatments and a quarantine and isolation area.
The Arrow Fund also is considering a veterinary suite that would allow for an on-site veterinarian.
Eaves said the nonprofit has secured property off Taylorsville Road for the complex that exceeds 15,000 square feet and once housed a kennel. She declined to disclose the exact location because the facility is not yet open and she does not want to risk animals being dropped off outside the complex.
She hopes to be in the building by late summer 2019 and said the money will be used to purchase and renovate the property.
The capital campaign is still new, but has quickly brought total pledges of about $650,000 that would be paid out over multiple years. Louisville developer Scott Hagan and his wife, Wendy, gave $300,000 and received naming rights for the complex, which will be called The Scott and Wendy Hagan Rehabilitation Center.
“We rely on the generosity of the general public to help these animals that need us so much,” Eaves said.
Scott Hagan weighed in on his appreciation for the organization by email:
“Five years ago, I saw an article in the Courier Journal about The Arrow Fund, our Director Rebecca Eaves and a dog they rescued after being fought then tied tightly to a fence with his mouth duct-taped shut. As I found out more, I saw a wonderful organization of talented volunteers from all walks of life throughout our community which rescued the most abused, tortured and neglected animals in Kentucky,” Hagan said. “I also saw that they had woefully inadequate facilities. I felt that Wendy and I could make a difference not only with money but also bringing to the table the subcontractors who work on our commercial properties. If potential donors believe in the cause of rescuing horribly treated animals and want to put their money into an organization where virtually every donated dollar goes directly to the animals, TAF is the place to put your money.”
Founded about eight years ago, The Arrow Fund has been involved in the rescue and emergency treatment of more than 2,000 abused and neglected dogs, cats and other animals. Eaves said more than 500 of those animals were taken in directly by the agency.
Through its role, the organization seeks out specialty veterinary care for abused animals so they can recover and be adopted out to a foster family. The nonprofit also uses its position to increase general public awareness about animal cruelty issues and the link to human violence, encourages the prosecution of animal abusers and advocates for better animal welfare laws.
The Arrow Fund works not only in Jefferson County but also takes in animals from smaller Kentucky counties that cannot afford to treat the animals but don’t want them euthanized. Eaves said they often work with law enforcement, animal control agencies and animal shelters in treating and placing animals.
The Arrow Fund operates now with a small volunteer staff out of a few thousand square feet of leased space on Envoy Circle not far from the Louisville Marriott East. It outsources certain functions, such as financial and IT services, to paid consultants.
The agency is working with Lexington architect John Dehart of Dehart Architecture and Craig McAllester of Kennel Design USA on the complex’s design.
To learn more about the capital campaign, check out The Arrow Fund’s website.