Nov 7, 2012 2 min read

The Washington Area Humane Society is hoping to expand its pawprint in North Strabane Township by constructing a new building to replace its existing retrofitted structures.

Architect Susan Warner of Pittsburgh said the new one-story, steel building would give the humane society an additional 4,000 square feet of room. The no-frills building will house the same number of kennels, but now the animals will be kept inside in one large space instead of several separate areas, she said.

“The flow of the (existing) building isn’t too good,” said Tracy Hawkins, board president of the Washington Area Humane Society.

The addition of three large outdoor play areas where dogs could roam freely, which could help to lessen the burden of cage cleaning, is also being considered, Warner said.

A site plan completed by Hampton Technical Associates, Inc. of Pittsburgh, shows the new 11,433-square-foot building and a 25-space parking lot slated for construction near the humane society’s pavilion. The existing structure, next door to The Spring House along Route 136, will be demolished and the area will be reseeded after completion of the new building. The plans also call for a storm water retention pond to be placed near the entrance of the property.

Hawkins estimated the cost of the project at $1.5 million. She said the humane society was granted $25,000 for new construction two years ago from the county’s Local Share Account, which is funded by gambling proceeds from The Meadows Racetrack & Casino. However, she said the board still needs to determine if the price tag is one its members can live with before moving forward and laying the groundwork for a fundraising campaign.

“It all comes down to donations and how generous people are to a nonprofit,” said Warner, who is also a board member of the Animal Rescue League in Pittsburgh.

The matter will be up for a vote when the board meets Dec. 12.