Funding raising for new shelter surpasses $2 million mark
Tipp City Foundation awards grant to help meet goal
The Miami County Animal Shelter is a busy place, frequently taking on added responsibilities in limited space.
Miami County Partners for Animal Welfare, or MCPAW, is hoping to change that. The nonprofit organization was formed in 2023 to lead a capital campaign to raise $7.5 million to build a modern no-kill animal shelter, adoption center and veterinary medical clinic. The county commission has donated land off Lytle Road north of Troy (and near the existing shelter along County Road 25A) for the project.
This summer, the fundraising effort surpassed the $2 million mark.
“The current shelter built in 1971 is outdated and inadequate for its intended needs,” said Rob Craft, shelter director. “There is growing need for affordable vet care countywide.”
The shelter became a no-kill operation in 2019, adding to the population of cats and dogs. Although not required to accept cats, the shelter does, and is one of the only shelters in the area that takes in cats, Craft said. “We do it because we think it is the right thing to do,” he said.
The new building will include increased parking, specialized ventilation for odor and disease control, a multipurpose meeting room for staff meetings and community events and a medical clinic to allow for in-building animal care and larger events such as spay/neuter days or microchip clinics.
The current shelter housing capacity is 33 for dogs and 20 for cats. The new shelter is being designed to accommodate 48 dogs and 30 cats.
Among other shelter features will be:
Two-compartment kennel design, allowing dogs to eat, sleep and rest in space separate from where they eliminate, enabling staff to clean kennels more easily and quickly and with better sanitation for dogs and humans
Puppies to be housed separate from adult dogs
Cat housing will have two-compartment cages allowing cage cleaning without having to relocate the cats
Adoption interview area to assist adoptees in finding the perfect pet.
State of the art, hospital grade, climate-controlled HVAC in dog and cat housing areas.
The shelter service area covers the county including Tipp City and Bethel Twp. Among donors toward the project is the Tipp City Foundation. In March, the foundation awarded MCPAW an impact grant of $5,000 a year for 10 years for a total of $50,000.
MCPAW is dedicated solely to fundraising and development efforts for a new shelter. It is led by local resident Heidi Scribner, founding president.
A Sync for the Shelter fundraiser held earlier this year was “a huge success,” raising more than $111,000 after expenses, Scribner said. The event featured local “stars,” including shelter staff, donating their time to a main fundraising event, which was led up to by various smaller community event featuring “performers.”
“Our STARS were very dedicated, and brought such joy and enthusiasm to the project. They were truly an amazing group to work with. Community support was everywhere; every town and city in the county, and outside of the county as well. By the time the night actually arrived, we knew it was going to be a smash,” Scribner said. “Everyone who performed and attended was so supportive of the cause, and it was just a very special experience. Three days later, we started planning the next one!” That event is scheduled for April 11, 2026.
Among other MCPAW activities:
Hosting community events
Partnering with local leaders and businesses
Practicing transparency and responsible stewardship of every dollar raised
Asking the community for donations, seeking grant funding through private and public grants
MCPAW asks those who support the effort to help spread the word through MCPAW on Facebook. Learn more and offer help at MiamiCountyPaw.org. Or reach out to MiamiCountyPAW@yahoo.com to schedule someone to speak to a group or participate in an event.
