Tupelo Lee Humane Society Opens New State Of The Art Animal Shelter

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – It has taken 10 years and countless fundraising drives, but the new Tupelo Lee Humane Society animal shelter is now open.

The ribbon cutting had barely wrapped up, and Charles Cofield was adopting Joe, a deaf pit bull.

Cofield is hearing impaired and is looking forward to bonding with his new friend.

“Pit bulls are not dangerous and I found Joe being deaf and I felt like we could communicate and I can teach him sign language in my commands,” Cofield said.

Jay Quimby is chairman of the capital campaign that has raised nearly $2 million for the shelter.  He says the project is a community effort.

“So many donations and hard work by so many people. It’s a great day for Tupelo and Lee County and a great day for our four legged friends who are now new residents,” Quimby said.

The new facility has more than three times the space of the old shelter and means that animals will have a better chance of finding a forever home.

“It’s very family friendly, there’s a huge adoption area, spay and neuter clinic on site now, we can hold almost 500 animals on site now,” Quimby said.

More than 7,000  animals are taken in by the Tupelo Lee Humane Society every year.

Donations are also needed to help the shelter with the remaining $200,000 owed on the new building.

The Tupelo Lee Humane Society is always looking for volunteers.  For more information, call 662-841-6501.