Inspections complete! Now we need you!

I spent Tuesday morning at our new AARF facility, walking the building several times with all of our inspectors. First up - the Department of Agriculture inspector. Great news from him, as we got a preliminary approval of our plans for the building. Next in - the electrician. The foundation of the electric system is good, but over the years, the folks in the building have spliced, rewired and extended in a haphazard way, so we have a lot of bad wiring to remove and redo. Third in - HVAC. The building has two air conditioners, and both seem to be in good working order. Unfortunately, the heating system is a different story. Since this building has been used mostly as a warehouse, the middle of the building is inefficiently heated, and the back isn't heated at all (or air conditioned). So, HVAC renovations will be a bit more than we anticipated. Finally, plumbing. The existing plumbing is in good working order, and the renovations we need to do for the dog wash stations should be straightforward. So, all in all, not bad news on the inspections.

Now, we need YOU to move forward.

We have had so much positive feedback about our new AARF Central facility. But we need your help to make it a reality. Since announcing the building, we have received less than $200 in new pledges and donations. To finish the renovations and be open by the holidays, we need 400 people to sign up for the smallest donor tile. (If we can get a combination of larger tiles and corporate tiles, we'll need fewer tiles.) Let's start with a goal of 25 donor tiles by October 1. Learn about our donor tiles and download your donor tile form here. What a great way to honor a family member or pet! Give a tile as a birthday or anniversary present. Let us know if the tile is a gift, and we'll send the honoree a card letting him or her know about your generous and lasting gift. Do you have a business? You can help AARF Central get started and have a permanent legacy of your business' generosity for less than the cost of a newspaper ad.

So, please, help us by sending a donor tile form today. If you don't want a tile, you can make a donation online or download a general pledge form here. Every dollar will make a difference in the lives of pets for years to come.