The Central Nebraska Humane Society celebrated its move into a beautiful, expanded facility in June.

The new building is 15,000 square feet divided into rooms for various needs, such as adoptable pets, assessment, surrendering, laundry, food preparation, medical checks and isolation. A grand opening/open house is planned for July 15.

The Humane Society is still located at 1312 Sky Park Road, but the old building will be torn down in the future to make room for more parking.

“For the first time in the history of this place, we have more kennels than animals,” Executive Director Brad Driml said.

The adoptable dog room will hold 30 animals, while the "cat condo" room has space for about 20 cats and two litters of kittens.

While once a city’s animal shelter was just a place for homeless animals. But that image has changed in recent years.

The Central Nebraska Humane Society, under the guidance of Driml, is making the organization more a part of the community. This is partially achieved through a variety of community programs and events, including fund-raisers, volunteer programs and educational programs in schools.

The society’s primary fund-raising events are the Fur Ball (around Valentine’s Day), the Walk for Animals (in May) and the Festival of Lights (in December) at Stolley Park.

The Humane Society continues to print “Pet of the Week” ads in The Independent and on its Web site. They have proven effective in getting dogs and cats adopted.

Currently, the society has a microchip-reading device but does not have the ability to offer microchip service to pet owners. The microchips are tiny identification devices injected under the skin of an animal, usually between the shoulder blades. An animal with the chip can be scanned by a reader and identified. Many area vets offer the microchip service. The chip is a great way to identify pets, especially cats who often are reluctant to wear collars.

Humane Society business hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The facility is closed on Mondays. Its phone number is 385-5305.

The society also offers such services as animal cruelty prevention, care of strays and pet burial services.

Volunteer help is always welcome. If you are interested in helping out with the animals, call the Central Nebraska Humane Society and ask for the volunteer coordinator.

For more information or safety tips for pets, contact the Central Nebraska Humane Society and/or your veterinarian.
Also, specific tips for your pet’s care, health and happiness can be found on the Web site of the American Pet Association, http://www.apapets.com/.