Animal shelter sees influx of animals after recent incident

ATTICA, Ind. (WLFI) - Shelter volunteers say after someone broke in and had two dogs intentionally fight, the support they received from the community was overwhelming.

But now they say they need your support in a different way.

Paws 'n' Claws animal shelter can house about 15 dogs and 15 cats but after gaining local attention about a horrific incident a couple of weeks ago, the shelter has become a popular place for unwanted pets to be dropped off.

"We have almost 80 animals up for adoption," veterinarian Dr. Tracy Sudlow said.

Dr.Sudlow said after NewsChannel 18 reported the break in at Paws 'n' Claws and the dog fight that resulted in the death of two kittens, they've seen an outpour of support from the community and more animals to take care of.

"We are seeing a huge influx of people calling and saying, 'hey I need help. I've lost my job, I have to move. I can't take my dog. I can't take my cat.' We see that situation, unfortunately, quite a bit and these animals have no place to go," Dr. Sudlow said.

Dr. Sudlow said they've had help housing animals from foster homes and other shelters. She said Paws 'n' Claws was hoping adoption numbers would go up after people heard their story but that hasn't been the case.

"That's why we're going to do the PetSmart event today. Try to get out there and go to Lafayette where there are a little bit more people and a little more exposure that way," Dr. Sudlow said.

Dr. Sudlow said Paws 'n' Claws is trying to raise money to build a new shelter that will be able to house about 60 animals.

"At least a 100 to 200 thousand dollars to build the building that we want. That's a lot of money," Dr. Sudlow said.

A lot of that money Dr. Sudlow said she hopes the shelter will get from grants and donations.