Student seeks to help shelter K9s

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As part of his Eagle Scout project, one local teen is asking for help from the community to fund an upgrade to the facilities at the Humane Society of Delaware County (HSDC).

Garrett Myers, a sophomore at Hayes High School, is seeking to construct a 32-by-14-foot shelter that will cover the concrete area where dogs enjoy their time outdoors at the HSDC’s 4920 state Route 37 location in Delaware. The shelter will serve as Myers’ Eagle Scout project, which he said each scout must do to benefit either a nonprofit organization or the general community.

In reaching out to various nonprofit organizations, Myers found that the outdoor pen at the HSDC was uncovered and knew that was where he wanted to devote his project.

“When I heard that the Humane Society needed something done, with my love of animals, my brain just immediately said that this is the project for me,” he said.

Myers, who has three dogs himself, said the outdoor area is important for the dogs to be able to “socialize” with other dogs, particularly for the newest residents who are still warming up to the other dogs. He said covering the concrete with a roof would prevent puddles from forming on the concrete when it rains, as well as preventing the concrete from getting too hot and burning the pads on the dogs’ paws during the summer.

Doing his work at the HSDC was a no-brainer for Myers, given his “very large love of animals,” he said.

“I love every kind of animal,” Myers said. “I visited the Humane Society a lot when I was younger. My sister volunteered for a while as well. So, I already had a love for the Humane Society.”

While he said there were other places he may have looked to do his project, being around the dogs helped to give Myers a firsthand view of how much an outdoor shelter would help both the animals and the volunteers at the Humane Society.

Asked about the response he received from the Humane Society when he notified them of his intentions, Myers said many of the volunteers were thrilled and expressed to him that they “didn’t know a screwdriver from a drill.”

Myers has set up a GoFundMe page to accept donations for the shelter. He said the monetary goal for the project is $2,500. Currently, the GoFundMe page shows just over $500 in donations received.

To help Myers and the Humane Society in getting the shelter built, visit www.gofundme.com and search “Garrett’s Eagle Project for Dogs @ HSDC.” A link can also be found on the Humane Society of Delaware County’s Facebook page.

Myers said the lumber for the project will cost around $2,200, and there is also a fee to obtain the necessary permit from the city. He said, “not a single penny” of the donations will be used for anything other than constructing the shelter, and any excess donations will be given to the Humane Society to be used as needed.

For his Eagle Scout project, Garrett Myers (pictured), a sophomore at Hayes High School, is working to upgrade the K9 facilities at the Humane Society of Delaware County.
https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/03/web1_Myers-2.jpegFor his Eagle Scout project, Garrett Myers (pictured), a sophomore at Hayes High School, is working to upgrade the K9 facilities at the Humane Society of Delaware County. Courtesy photo

By Dillon Davis

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Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on Twitter @DillonDavis56.

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