Pet shelter scrambles to pay for repairs so it can stay open

MISSION, Kan. - Danielle Reno wants to save them all. Reno, who heads up pet rescue group Unleashed, has cared for pets her entire life. She has been working to rescue them for the past 14 years.

Last year she established Unleashed as a nonprofit group, and ran it out of her home. The idea was to rescue pets from city shelters before those shelters euthanized them due to overcrowding.

Now the group has its own building housing 55 dogs and 10 cats, but for the building to stay open, Unleashed has to complete a long list of repairs by Sept. 1.

Inspectors from the Kansas Department of Agriculture insisted on repairs to the floors and walls inside and the pet play area outside. Reno said workers have made good progress on the inside.

On the outside, she originally thought repairs to the play area's asphalt would be simple enough to do by herself and other staff members. But she recently learned the job was much more involved and needed to be handled by professionals at a cost of $7,000.

Reno said her group is scrambling to raise that money with barely a week to go before the inspectors return. She hopes the money will materialize so she can continue saving pets' lives.

Anyone wishing to help or wishing to adopt a pet can visit unleashedrescue.com.