Bids to be taken for new humane society shelter

FLORENCE — A lot of barks and meows have come and gone since the project began, but a new Florence Area Humane Society animal shelter is on the horizon.

Bids on the 7,400-square-foot shelter will go out March 13. They are due back April 7.

The shelter also will be named in honor of humane society president Jayne H. Boswell, it was announced during a press conference Wednesday at the Florence City-County Complex.

“I tell you, I thought we would never get a new facility,” Boswell said, “but to have it named after me, I’m in awe. It was totally unexpected, a big surprise, but I think it should really be named after the community of Florence because they are the ones who helped get it built.”

Boswell is director of instructional technology for Florence School District 1. Although she grew up with dogs, she became enamored with cats when a student brought her a bedraggled, homeless kitten when she was a media specialist at Wilson High School.

“I learned just how awesome cats are and how they take over your life,” Boswell said. “And I think that’s what pushed me in the direction of the animal shelter. I just went forward from there.

“God gives you a mission and you just stick with it. I think he’s been faithful. You just can’t walk away, especially when you see those warm eyes and fuzzy faces, you just can’t leave them,” she said. “So, I think it’s been a great day to see it come to a culmination. I can’t wait until we open the doors. To know that we will have a humane domain in our community will be awesome.”

In May, the Florence Area Humane Society Bone-E-Fit raised $126,910 and pushed the organization over halfway to the $850,000 it needs to build a new no-kill animal shelter. Along with funding from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation, the humane society has about $452,000 toward a new shelter, said Jason Coker, who handled the Bone-E-Fit fundraising.

“The foundation is delighted to be partnering with the humane society and the city on this project,” said Bradley Callicott, executive director of the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation said. “We’re looking forward to a quick completion of the building and hopefully you can bring it in at a good price.”

“We really feel like the Florence community can get us there,” Boswell said. “We’re still looking for donations. We can raise a million dollars, I know we can.

“We’re also looking for in-kind donations from electricians, plumbers and others,” she said. “In-kind donations are just as important as monetary donations.”

The architect for the new shelter is Chris Clark of Chris Clark Architecture in Myrtle Beach. He said he will be working with the city, humane society and all the contractors who put in bids.

“It’s a fun building that is going to provide much more needed space for the animals,” he said. “I look forward to finally seeing what this is going to do for the community, for the animals and working with the contractors to get those numbers where we need them.”

The current shelter is located at 1007 Stockade Drive, off of National Cemetery Road, in Florence and is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Call (843) 669-2921 for more information on how to help or adopt a pet.