Saving Paws Animal Rescue of Kentucky (SparKy) has found a permanent location. The no-kill animal rescue generally relies on foster homes but will soon provide their own animal housing at 1004 E. 18th St.
A group of locals who served with the PAWS organization in Newburgh formed SparKy more than 15 years ago to emulate that same model in Owensboro. The new facility will provide the nonprofit organization with some much-needed office space and allow them more opportunities to provide for the community.
“We felt like it was time to have a physical location … This is a big moment for us because it has taken years of effort from our volunteers, as well as the support of the community,” said SparKy president John Austin. “We will still follow the same model as PAWS by utilizing foster placements, but we felt like we needed a physical building; it will allow us to grow our footprint moving forward.”
The new facility will primarily house puppies in their Sheltered Start program, which offers unaltered female dogs and their litter temporary housing. The litter is then fixed and put up for adoption while the mother is spayed and returned home.
“We will be able to keep a new litter of puppies isolated, limiting risks during the incubation period,” Austin said. “This dedicated space will allow us to make sure they don’t bring in any illnesses and prevent them from spreading it.”
SparKy provides all rescues with the necessary vaccines and ensures that their maintenance and emergency medical needs are met. They also install microchips and ensure that all of them are spayed or neutered.
While some minor renovations are pending, Austin said the group is excited about making the place their own.
“The building itself is in good condition. We are in the process of planning the layout and customizing it to our needs,” he said. “We still need to get various areas set up. We plan to knock out some walls and use the smaller portion of the building for offices and the larger area for the rescues.”
The members of SparKy strive to reduce the number of animals killed each year. Their goals are to educate the public about the importance of spaying and neutering pets and responsible pet ownership.
No-kill shelters such as SparKy will only euthanize an animal if a veterinarian recommends it due to illness beyond providing the animal a good quality of life or due to severe behavior issues that pose a risk to humans or other animals. For more information about the nonprofit, visit their website here.
