AnimalHaven

Timeline

2000 – Whitman County Humane Society began operating the Pullman animal shelter and contracted with the City to provide care and shelter for abandoned and abused animals.

2001 – Began developing a capital fundraising campaign to build a state-of-the-art animal shelter. A building committee was appointed which collaborated with Best Friends Animal Society in Utah to use their existing design.

2002 – A professional capital campaign advisor was hired and a feasibility study for the project was conducted.

2003 – Capital campaign formally organized and collected donations of land, design services, in-kind commitments from private individuals and the construction community, and cash. The building and site plans were submitted to the City of Pullman in July for code and site compliance review. The well and pump were installed, road access to the property was established, and preliminary landscaping was started.

2004 – The land was excavated and space cleared for a future parking lot. Palouse Conservation planted trees at the site. The WCHS Building Committee continued to work on plans to submit the City of Pullman for final approval. Preliminary stages of discussions for a construction loan were held. The building fund received $400,000 from the Gardner estate, bringing the total to $700,000.

2005 – Plans for the project were submitted to the City of Pullman and returned to WCHS for revisions. A site plan was created for submission to the City of Pullman in 2006.

2006 – Work on AnimalHaven was delayed by a number of factors, including the need to design specialized systems unique to an animal shelter. Isolation airflow systems for quarantine, sewer/waste disposal, and the design of the surgery unit were major factors. Permit applications were submitted, reviewed by the City of Pullman, and some were returned for revisions.

2007 – Revisions were successfully completed and the City of Pullman approved the SEPA study in September. Plans for the septic system were submitted and approved by both the City of Pullman and the health department.

2008 – An appeal against the SEPA ruling was dismissed in May. Opening bid meeting for area contractors was held in May and, in June, the building committee selected KACI General Contractors to build the Project. The $2.4 million cost forced the Broad of Directors to divide the project into two construction phases in an effort to reduce the initial costs to $1.5 million or less.

June 28, 2008 - First meeting with KACI was held.

October 4, 2008 – Official groundbreaking ceremony.