Humane Society SEMO speeds up shelter groundbreaking

Less than three months ago, the financial stresses of COVID-19 forced Humane Society of Southeast Missouri to announce it was delaying groundbreaking for a proposed new $3.7 million, 12,000-square-foot education and adoption center until 2021.

Thanks to local generosity and a bit of ingenuity, ground will be broken a lot sooner -- in less than two weeks.

Charlotte Craig, HSSEMO board president, gave the lion's share of the credit for the accelerated timetable to Phil Penzel, CEO of Penzel Construction, the firm responsible for building the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Saxony Lutheran High School in Fruitland and Liberty Utilities' national headquarters in Jackson, among many others.

"Phil had a chance conversation with one of our steering committee members," Craig said, "and he wanted to be involved.

"We received four bids (for the job), and we chose Penzel," she added.

HSSEMO has raised approximately $1.6 million for the project, to be built next door to the current shelter at 2536 Boutin Drive in Cape Girardeau.

"We have faith the community will get us the rest of the way in terms of funds," said Tracy Poston, the shelter's executive director for the past four years.

Penzel plans to use some materials similar to ones used in the façade of Connection Point Church in Jackson, completed in late 2019.

Craig said HSSEMO is already realizing an unspecified amount of savings in the projected cost thanks to the design-build arrangement with Penzel.

"It's as if God picked (Phil) up and put him right in front of us," added Craig.

HSSEMO is eager to depart its current structure, which it has occupied for 40 years.

"(The current shelter) is ridiculously small, we're constantly in repair mode, the building is a safety hazard, and we still have to keep up with 3,000 animals who come through the doors every year," Poston said.

"We're hopeful once the community sees a new building go up, donations will go up too," she added.

This week, the shelter received a $25,000 gift for "cat interaction rooms," noted Poston.

HSSEMO has a save rate for dogs of 96%, a figure animal welfare organizations effectively regard as a "no-kill" rate.

The metric for cats is 86 percent.

"We're not quite there (for felines), but the new building should get us there and seal the deal," said Poston.

Poston said people know the Humane Society for saving, housing and adopting out pets.

"We also help owners having behavioral issues with pets," she added, "and sometimes we help to get (pets) fed after adoption as well, depending on the circumstances."

The groundbreaking is set for 10 a.m. Aug. 26 at the new shelter site, with former Cape Girardeau mayor Jay Knudtson slated as keynote speaker.

Poston said the timeframe for completion of the new shelter, which will also house a community room for what she calls "humane education," is 12 to 14 months.

More information on HSSEMO is available at semopets.org.