Help Us Ensure a Better Future for Pets in Need

A busy animal shelter does not age like a normal building—it experiences daily wear and tear from the constant movement, noise, and love of the animals inside. Like a trusted pair of sneakers, our facility needs upgrades after nearly 15 years and more than 20,000 animals that have passed through. It has served us faithfully, but it’s time for essential repairs and enhancements to ensure we can continue our life-saving work for years to come.

This is more than a wish list. These are urgent needs—essential projects that ensures Watauga Humane Society’s long-term commitment to protect our animals and serve our community.

Your support today guarantees that every pet tomorrow has a safe, clean, and compassionate place to land.

Thanks to the generosity of private donors, gifts up to $150,000 will be matched as we work to raise $300,000 toward these vital improvements.

Immediate Priorities (and estimated project costs)

New Septic System | $240,000

Like many property owners in the High Country, Watauga Humane Society relies on a septic system to manage the waste, and the water produced every day. With nearly 200 animals in our care each day—plus staff, volunteers, laundry, and cleaning—you can imagine the strain placed on that system. After leaving the building, wastewater is directed into a treatment tank and then flows into a drain field, where gravel and soil help naturally filter the water before it returns safely to the groundwater system.

The current system was only designed for 1,000 gallons per day. Over time, the actual usage is closer to 1,500 gallons per day and that has simply overwhelmed the existing drain field.

To prevent system failure, WHS is currently pumping the tanks multiple times each month at $1,600 per visit. This is not financially sustainable.

We’ve worked with engineers and soil specialists to identify a new septic system design on our property that can accommodate our needs. The cost of this project includes:

Engineering and design
Excavation and system installation
Regulatory permitting
Interim monthly pumping during construction
Post-construction landscaping needs

Maintaining a safe and effective wastewater system is essential—not only for the health of the animals and staff—but to ensure that we are not spending money on unnecessary treatment services.

This is a critical infrastructure project. Without it, the shelter cannot function.

Outdoor Play Yard Renovation | $30,000

Outdoor time is a lifeline for shelter dogs. Our 5,000 square foot play space is fenced and well-used, but heavy rain, snow, and 50+ inches of annual precipitation have made grassy areas impossible to maintain yielding consistent citations from our state inspector. We are investing in a safe, easily disinfected, durable mixed-media surfaces and adding shaded play structures to create a safe, sustainable, and stimulating environment.

Arko Dog Park Enhancements | $10,000

Arko Dog Park is a much-loved community space that sees high daily use. Funding will allow us to upgrade seating, add shaded rest areas, and install engaging features to keep the park welcoming and functional for all visitors and to leverage the space as a revenue source for Watauga Humane Society’s life-saving mission. Naming opportunities are available in this highly visible, high-traffic space as well!

Infrastructure & Facility Essentials | $20,000

Not all upgrades are visible, but they are vital. From maintaining our aging heating and cooling systems to ensuring clean, safe environments indoors and out, these behind-the-scenes projects are what keep our shelter running smoothly every day.

💛 Our Shelter Runs on Compassion—And Infrastructure

Your gift is more than a donation—it is a direct investment in the health, dignity, and future of every pet who enters our care. Together, we can build a better shelter—and a brighter tomorrow—for animals across our region.

This campaign introduces the following Long-Term Naming Opportunities

Your contribution to any of the following projects includes the opportunity to make a lasting impact through named recognition, visible to thousands of shelter visitors and supporters each year:

Puppy Play Castle (Arko Dog Park) – $10,000
Engraved Benches (Multiple Locations) – $2,500 each
Private Cat Suites (2 Available) – $5,000 each
Pet Food Pantry – $10,000
Medical Suite for Shelter Animals – $40,000
Meadow Gazebo – $10,000
Lower Dog Park – $30,000
Private Dog Park (Former Diamond Dog Area) – $5,000
Rainbow Bridge Memorial Garden – $25,000

Building for the Future

Together we keep the facilities strong, so every animal has a safe and welcoming place