Help Us Build a Safer Shelter

At Paws Place Dog Rescue, our mission is to provide a safe and loving environment for every dog in our care. We’re growing quickly, but we’ve reached capacity — and with the increasing threat of severe weather, fires, and hurricanes in our area, we urgently need to build a stronger, safer space for our pups.

This campaign will fund critical fire safety improvements (including a new high-pressure fire hydrant) and the construction of a storm shelter that will allow us to protect our dogs on-site during emergencies.

Why We Need Your Help:

Overcrowded Spaces: Our current facilities are filled to the brim. 🏠
Storage Limitations: We lack the storage space needed for important resources, materials, kennel supplies, and landscaping equipment. 📦
Storms: Improve safety during storms and hurricanes by allowing us to “shelter in place” in an elevated space. ⛈️
Fire Safety: Having a high-pressure fire hydrant is critical because it ensures immediate, reliable access to water for emergency responders—protecting our dogs, staff, volunteers, and facility in the event of a fire 🔥
Future Growth: This expansion will provide room to grow and protect site investments . 🐾

Our Facility Development Plan:

2 floor open concept space with crates in place for severe weather emergency situations
Mini split HVAC for climate control during severe weather
Generator for back up power
1st floor storage for lawn equipment and supplies
High-pressure fire hydrant on property
Driveway & new access road improvements for emergency vehicles

Check out our approved renderings of the new storm shelter! ⤵️

Funding Breakdown:

Land Acquisition - Shelter will be built on our current 17 acre property
Building Construction - $130,000 💥 PARTIALLY FUNDED! 💥
Fire Hydrant, Driveway & Access Road Improvements - $135,000
Supplies (lumber, windows, doors) - $25,000 In Kind Donation 💥 PARTIALLY FUNDED! 💥
Generator - $10,000 💥 FUNDED! 💥

Your support can make a life-saving difference!

Fundraising for the building began earlier this year, but newly required fire safety enhancements (including a high-pressure hydrant system and improved emergency vehicle access) have increased the project’s total cost by $135,000. These critical upgrades will not only ensure the new facility meets safety standards but also strengthen the overall resilience of the entire campus.

Donate button at the top of this page to take action today.

Together, we can build a shelter that truly shelters!

Meet Our Campaign Team

Linda is a lifelong dog lover and passionate advocate for rescue and shelter adoptions. She has shared her life with many rescue dogs and currently has two — Maxwell (pictured above) and Molly. After a 40+ year career in marketing at Bank of America, most recently leading local marketing for Merrill Lynch and The Private Bank, Linda retired and relocated from Charlotte to Oak Island in 2023. In addition to volunteering with Paws Place, she serves on the executive committee of the Cape Fear Sierra Club and volunteers with the Oak Island Sea Turtle Protection Program. Linda holds a BS in Public Administration from Auburn University.

Hannah is a dedicated advocate for land preservation, animal rescue, and education. She recently retired from Holt C-Stores, her family business of 33 years, where she served as Director of Operations overseeing financials, development, franchise management, and stockholder relations across three operating entities. Since retiring, Hannah has supported Paws Place through fundraising and special events. She has served on several local boards, including the NC Coastal Land Trust, Airlie Gardens Foundation, Cape Fear Community College Foundation, UNCW Foundation, and the Employment Security Commission. In 2013, she founded the Holt C-Store Golf Tournament, which has raised over $1 million to benefit the NC Coastal Land Trust and UNCW. Hannah earned her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from UNC-Chapel Hill.

George is a dedicated supporter of animal rescue with a 30-year career in global R&D and supply chain operations at Colgate-Palmolive. A former Paws Place board member, he managed the construction of the current Paws Place facility in Winnabow and now serves as an advisor on all facility-related matters. George is also on the board of Paws4People Foundation in Castle Hayne, where he oversees all construction efforts, and he manages buildings and grounds at the Beach Road Church Campus in Southport. A dog lover at heart, George is deeply committed to the Paws Place mission.

If you'd like to connect with one of our team members to learn more, their email addresses are below:

Linda - lindaschoeni101@gmail.com
Hannah - hlillyholt@gmail.com
George - gjz@zaconsultinggroup.com

Shelter Sanctuary

Help us raise funds to implement fire safety improvements and build an emergency facility where we can shelter in place during storms and flooding 🐶🏠