Work begins on new home for Animal Protectors in New Kensington

A New Kensington-based animal shelter has just more than half of the money necessary to pay for all the renovations needed at its future home.

Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley raised about $700,000 of its $1.3 million fundraising goal for the project. Now located on Linden Avenue, the shelter bought a former school at 730 Church St. in the city’s Parnassus neighborhood in 2016 and plans to move in by September.

Animal Protectors officials have shown off the site before, but, on Tuesday, they were there to mark the start of renovations and to push for more funds to complete the project.

“This will allow us to become an even greater asset to New Kensington and surrounding communities,” said Tammy Libengood, Animal Protectors board president.

Abused, abandoned and homeless cats and dogs in the Alle-Kiski Valley have had a friend in Animal Protectors for more than 50 years.

The fundraising campaign has been spearheaded by past board President Phyllis Framel.

The new space has been needed for a while.

It will more than triple the size of the shelter and allow it to better care for its animals, according to Dr. Betsy Kennon of Fawn, a retired veterinarian who volunteers at the shelter.

“We’re going to be able to do so much more and do what we do so much better. It’s going to be absolutely night and day,” Kennon said when comparing plans for the new location with the present facility.

She will be able to treat more animals’ ailments on-site instead of sending them to another veterinarian, she said.

The group couldn’t make the move without support from the community, Libengood said.

“We’ve had a tremendous response,” she said. “Fingers crossed, we should move in by the end of September.”