With 66 cats, 50 dogs and one pot belly pig, the Animal Rescue Fund of Muncie is still afloat thanks to the support from local residents.
Its future wasn't always clear after a flood hit ARF in late February, but the shelter was met with an outpouring of community volunteering and donations.
"We couldn't have recovered like we did without volunteers," Phil Peckinpaugh, executive director of ARF said. "We did receive overwhelming support from the community [and] from Ball State students especially."
Now the shelter is encouraging residents and Ball State students to volunteer. Melissa Blair, ARF animal care manager, helped people at a volunteer orientation meeting Saturday.
"We have a pretty good volunteer base," Blair said. "Three or four are like family. I try to work hard with the Ball State students to find a dog that works with their schedule."
Ball State graduate student Sarah Mahl played with cats at orientation. She said it was a good way to spend time with animals while at college.
"We'd love to have one, we just can't afford it right now," she said.
The flood affected ARF's supplies, physical shelters and vehicles, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency assessed the damage at $200,000, Peckinpaugh said.
Ingenuity went into the cleanup effort. The pot belly pig had to be hoisted into a wheel barrow before being saved, and Dunham's Sports of Muncie donated a boat to aid in the recovery.
While cleanup efforts were in progress, the animals were moved to foster care. Some foster parents decided to keep the dogs or cats even after the facility re-opened on March 29, Peckinpaugh said.
Kaye Harrell said she adopted her dog right after the flood.
"He has brought me a lot of joy, and that wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for ARF," she said.
ARF receives all funding from public donations. Although the property is rent-free, utilities and maintenance are paid for by ARF. The property consists of five buildings, including a heated pole-barn where 20 dogs are available for adoption.
"We started with this little house," Blair said, pointing to one of the buildings on campus. Terri Panszi created the foundation in June 1998 after she started taking care of 20 to 30 animals on her own.
Since its beginnings, ARF's programs have grown. Spay and Neuter In-Need Pets is a program designed to help pet owners who may not have the operations in their budget, giving the owners discounts or full coverage. Nibble Nook is another program, which offers free animal food. Pounds for Hounds is a dog walking program held in the summer.
Anyone can play with the animals from 1 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Blair said it facilitates socialization for the dogs and cats.
For more information about ARF, click here or visit its Facebook page.
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