ST. CLAIRSVILLE — The Belmont County Animal Rescue League showed its commitment to local animals once again.

During Wednesday’s Belmont County Board of Commissioners meeting, BCARL Executive Director Jennifer Woollard presented a $30,000 donation to the animal shelter to be used toward new kennels and the installation of epoxy flooring.

Belmont County Animal Shelter Director Angela Hatfield indicated estimates for the new kennels and flooring had come back much higher than expected, which means this donation will allow the work to be completed as soon as possible.

“We reached the $30,000 milestone and we realized we had not near enough money to do the project,” Hatfield said. “With this donation, we’re pleased, and honored, to say that this marks a new day for the Belmont County Animal Shelter. (The donation) allows us to take the shelter to a new level and create a healthier environment for the animals and also all of the people who work there.”

Hatfield expects the estimates to be completed soon and would like to move the project along as quickly as possible because the work involved will cause the animals to need to be moved temporarily.

“We want to get it done this summer,” Hatfield said. “We want to do it while there is warmer weather because the animals are going to have to be displaced. We will board them at kennels we already have at the shelter, so that makes it even more important to have everything in line and get it done in a quick time frame.”

Wednesday’s donation was a culmination of many meetings and much discussion between BCARL and Belmont County, according to Woollard.

“We’ve met with Angela several times to discuss how we, as a group and organization, could benefit the animals of the shelter,” Woollard said. “We’re all about keeping animals out of the shelter and in their homes. However, the animals that do make it into the shelter still deserve a great experience while they are there. That’s really why we decided to make this donation.”

BCARL, which has existed since 1973, formally approved making the donation at its April board meeting.

“We’re thrilled to be able to move forward with this project and make the shelter a place where people can come and be proud,” Hatfield offered. “This donation will allow the shelter to be so much nicer and healthier in a beautiful atmosphere.”

Commission President Mark Thomas was obviously ecstatic about the donation and the ability to improve conditions for the roughly 40 dogs and 25 cats currently housed at the shelter. He was also excited about the rekindled relations between the commission and BCARL, which had been somewhat fractured since 2014 when the county took over the day-to-day operations of the shelter.

“Belmont County has had a long relationship with BCARL,” Thomas said. “The reality of it is, and speaking the truth always, the relationship between the county and former members of BCARL broke down in 2014. The good news is, as time passes, board members change, on both sides of the aisle, cooler and calmer heads come together for one common purpose. That is the health, safety, welfare and love of those beautiful animals.”

The donation to the shelter is another in a long list of projects and initiatives being conducted by BCARL for the welfare of animals in the county. In recent months, the organization has donated safety kits to the police departments that utilize a K-9 unit throughout the county. Last month, it hosted a two-day spay and neuter event and recently launched a transport partner program.

For more information on BCARL, it’s programs and iniatives contact the group at 740-296-8644.