Zootoo update

Shelter one of three finalists for $1M

By Connie Cartmell, ccartmell@mariettatimes.com
There was jubilation—cheers, hoots and hollers—Thursday morning at the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley on Mount Tom Road just outside of Marietta.

Staff learned the shelter was named one of three finalists for a $1 million shelter makeover contest, sponsored by Zootoo.com.

Final word comes Wednesday on “The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet,” which airs at 9 a.m. on Fox Parkersburg, channel 14.

“I was so excited!” Angie Seevers, a shelter employee, said. “When I heard, I was hollering at Sharon (Morris, assistant shelter manager), and everybody was cheering and excited.”

Even the dogs barked.

“It made the day here, that’s for sure,” Seevers said.

In addition to just sprucing up, adding space and repairing what needs fixing, Seevers dreams of more for the shelter.

“There are so many things we could do here for the animals to make it so much nicer for them,” she said. “I’d like to see bigger and more open rooms. I’m a cat person, so I’d love to see a free-roaming room for them.”

Morris said the phone didn’t stop ringing most of the day.

“We’re thrilled,” she said. “This is the best thing that could ever happen to us.”

While shelter manager Cheryl Byers was at Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for the announcement, Morris is at the helm.

“You know, I had been telling Cheryl all along that I am afraid to get too excited,” Morris said. “But, when I saw how much support we were getting, I knew we had already won.”

The shelter finished in the top 20 out of nearly 1,000 shelters nationwide. The rankings were determined by how many people signed in to the Zootoo Web site on behalf of the shelter.

Jill Deming, a Humane Society board member, gives credit to the community for the society’s placement in the contest.

“This is great for the shelter and the community,” she said. “It was the community that helped us get where we are.”

Deming is excited about all the attention Marietta will be getting from the media spotlight.

Byers said that no matter what happens next, her shelter is already a winner.

“I am numb at this point,” she said by phone Thursday. “When we’ve come so far, no matter what comes next, it only can get better for the shelter from now on out.”

The 20 shelter managers in the audience, from throughout the country, each received an envelope with $5,000 inside for their shelter. Three managers, including Byers, were then called to the stage and presented airline tickets to New York.

“So much has already been accomplished for the shelter and animals in the first leg of the race,” Byers said.

The winning shelter gets a $1 million makeover. Second place receives $10,000 and third place, $5,000.

“I am sitting here with $6,000 in my hand,” Byers said. “We already have $5,000 from Zootoo and today Pedigree Pet Foods gave us a $1,000 gift.”

The very least the shelter could receive would be $16,000.

Steve Boker, shelter board vice president, said the entire experience over the past few months has been “amazing.” His agenda is not only updating the shelter, but also neutering and spaying programs, along with public education.

“Even to get in the top 20 is so great,” Boker said. “I am shocked.”

The Mid-Ohio Valley Humane Society shelter in Parkersburg also finished in the top 20, but was not among the final three.