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The screeching sounds of more than 30 barking dogs echo throughout the building because of outdated acoustics. Cats live in dimly lighted kennels, and a snake is stored on top of the dryer for lack of space and heat.

Welcome to the SPCA of Luzerne County.

Cramped rooms, dull light, poor heat, rusted drains and chipped floors are just a handful of the many problems the 47-year-old shelter in Plains Township has confronted lately and can't afford to fix.

The SPCA's "Paws to Help" campaign will attempt to raise the $650,000 needed to renovate the facility and its two vehicles. For starters, the campaign is using local "celebrities" as bartenders at venues throughout Luzerne County on the third Friday of each month until January to raise money.

"We have Luzerne County commissioners Todd Vonderheid and Greg Skrepenak and WBRE TV's Lyndall Stout scheduled as celebrity bartenders," Amanda Kluger, campaign co-chairperson, said. "We have 15 people in our steering committee, 30 to 40 people who are solicitors and a countless number of people who are working in the background on this project."

The campaign, which began Sept. 17 at Gelpia'z restaurant in Kingston, had honorary campaign chairperson WBRE-TV weatherman Vince Sweeney and his wife, Carol, and campaign co-chairpersons, Amanda and Joe Kluger, serving up drinks.

"We were very happy with the kickoff event," Ruth Corcoran, volunteer publicist, said. "We had over 320 people and raised $12,500. We had a silent auction, raffles, drink specials and collected many donations that night."

The idea for the campaign began in 2000 but was put on hold after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"We have too much to do in such small, cramped areas," Edward Gross, SPCA director of development, said. "It makes the job for our staff labor-intensive. We cover 892 square miles, and our budget continues to go up just like everyone else's, but our steady flow of monies doesn't."

Gross said a better facility would not only offer the animals a more comfortable stay but also make visits from the public more pleasant.

"I just want the community to know what it's like here," Gross, said. "This really is crunch time. We painted and patched as much as we could and have limped along long enough. We need the help from the people, the community and municipalities. We understand municipalities have their own budget problems, but if we were to shut down they would have to take care of the animal concerns and problems."

SPCA workers said they have a 72 percent adoption rate for dogs and a 25 percent adoption rate for cats but hope to increase these numbers after renovations are completed.
"It's the smaller donations that are going to add up," Corcoran said. "If everyone in Luzerne County would send in $1 we would be halfway there. Although the facility needs a great deal of work, it really is quite amazing to see what the workers here do with what they have."

Gross said there are days when they receive such big influxes of people and pets that the facility just can't accommodate them all.

"Some people feel that because they don't have animals, they don't need the SPCA, but we are still important to the community," he said. "We keep loose dogs off the street and check animals for rabies."

The SPCA has a staff of 23 and depends heavily on its volunteers to help provide services. "In 2001, I sent out applications for $400,000 worth of grants, but we only received $10,000 worth," Gross said. "Adoption rates are going up, but the donation rate is drastically going down."

The SPCA's senior-citizen volunteers also recently sent fund-raising mailings out to residents and businesses.

Renovations for the new facility will include a new cat room, a larger receiving office, a new grooming room, 10 additional adoption dog kennels and an isolation area for new dogs, and cats.

"There is just no way this project is going to fail," Corcoran said. "Depending on how and when the money comes in will determine when renovations will be done, but they are going to start this spring."