BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Rescue Rebuild, a national nonprofit that works with animals, along with volunteers like Mary Akers, is helping the Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society improve the lives of shelter animals with new upgrades.
What You Need To Know
- The two-week project includes new obstacles for dogs as well as new dog parks and a "catio" for cats
- Local volunteers helped pitch in for the project
- The volunteers are partnering with Rescue Rebuild, a national nonprofit
- The Bowling Green/Warren County Humane Society was selected due to its excellent record for animal care
Mary Akers has been involved with the Humane Society for over three years, and she's continuing to help for the love of animals.
“We are putting in new runs for the dogs so they have some time to exercise," said Akers. "We updated existing ones and modified the ones we had so they are safe and built a cat 'catio' which is new for our cats.”
Akers is one of the many volunteers in partnership with Rescue Rebuild, which goes from shelter to shelter installing new toys for shelter animals. Akers said they hope it helps with adoptions.
“They get to smell, they get to do everything a dog likes to do instead of being confined in their boxes and kennels," said Akers. "They get to stretch their legs. It makes them happy and calms them down. The cats, we don't normally let them out, but maybe with our catio, we can hopefully. It makes them calmer when being looked at for adoptions."
Zach Baker is the executive director for Rescue Rebuild. He has been a part of improving animal lives for a few years now. He said what they do is great, but it's really the community that makes it better.
"We can't do what we do without local support, and Mary has been out here almost everyday with us working so hard," said Baker. "Kicking butt in this heat, and we are so thankful to get that local buy in, and we know once we leave, these people will continue to take great care of the animals.”
The Humane Society has been struggling with an overcrowded shelter lately. These new additions will also help potential adopters see these animals interact with others, but for volunteers like Akers, it is just a chance to give back for something she loves.
“Animals have always been a part of my life, and we’ve always had dogs," said Akers. "I'm a big dog person, so I just wanted to give back when I could."