Animal shelter receives big donations

ATTICA, Ind. (WLFI) - 1,300 pounds of dog and cat food and 200 pounds of cat litter are now piled on the floor of Attica's Paws 'n' Claws animal shelter.

"A group of people showed up with a truckload of food," said Paws 'n' Claws Veterinarian Dr. Tracy Sudlow.
"It makes a huge difference. That is going to feed our animals for months. It's going to help our budget significantly, so we are going to be able to keep those animals."

Dr. Sudlow said last week, workers at Paws 'n' Claws came to the realization their goal to be a no-kill shelter may not last. As budget issues loomed they decided they may have to euthanize the animals that have been at their shelter for 45 days.

That's when the Oliver family decided to help. The family said their friends and co-workers pitched in to help raise money to buy all the supplies. Yet, this 1,300-pound donation joins hundreds of others.

"We've been so happy this last week," said Dr. Sudlow. "I think we counted this morning and we've received like 1,500 pounds of dog food, and 400 pounds of litter."

Add that with $2,000-worth of monetary donations, and the workers at Paws 'n' Claws are relieved to say, for now, they won't have to euthanize any of the animals.

"Our moral has been hit hard a couple times this year," said Dr. Sudlow. "When things like this happen and people pull forward and help us out, it makes us feel really good."

In August, Paws 'n' Claws was the subject of a break-in, where a person made dogs fight. It resulted in the deaths of two kittens and left two dogs with significant injuries. No arrests have been made.

As time goes on, Sudlow said they've made sure their focus has never shifted from the animals.

"It is so easy just to give up when it gets hard," said Dr. Sudlow. "But that doesn't do anybody any good. These animals are completely, 100-percent dependent on us. If we just give up and throw the towel in that doesn't do them any good."

Another major change at the shelter? Empty cages because of the increase of pet adoptions. Dr. Sudlow said she misses all the animals, but she said an empty cage, in this case, is a good thing.