The Chautauqua County Humane Society is accepting contributions for its new capital campaign.

The overhaul of renovations is looking to better fill the needs of the organization while also better serving the community members that support the Humane Society. Coordinators say increased community connection, and additional animal space, will enhance the lives of all the residents and pets that they serve.

The capital campaign is a $7 million project that will transform the facility, and allow stronger programs from the CCHS. Campaign Co-Chair Stephanie Malinowski stated that the community has an ever increasing need for the service that CCHS offers, including the need for more cruelty case space and stray holding space. Additionally, Malinowski noted that the New York state has put in new requirements as well, with upgrades able to bring the facility to full compliance.

One of the large additions that will serve residents, animals, and children is the addition of a community room. This will be a large multipurpose room that will prove especially usually for advancing the Humane Ed. program. This program sees members of CCHS traveling out to schools to provide students with information about animals and care. With this room, Malinowski stated that classes can now also have the option to come into CCHS for these e educational purposes. This will not only allow the students the chance to learn first hand, but also to see the daily operations of the organization.

There will also be the addition of a cat cafe, which will be open to any members of the public that wish to stop in. The cafe, which will be right off of the lobby, will have coffees avail;able for people to make. Executive Director Jane Babinsky stated that the coffees are just by donation, but that the main goal is give residents time to socialize with the many cats that are available for adoption.

“So people can come in kind of like any Starbucks. If you want to pull out your laptop and sit a while and pet some kitties and use a Keurig, that’s going to be available for people that just want some chill time with some pets,” said Malinowski.

Recent changes have also added a Sheriff’s Deputy, Joel Walsh, as the animal cruelty officer for the county, with Walsh bringing any cruelty cases to CCHS.

These new renovations will increase the size of the holding areas for both dogs and cats. Dog kennels will go from 24 to 36, according to Babinsky. Other additions will include nine stray holding runs and three new cat rooms. In total this will allow the group to hold 97 animals at any given time, giving specific areas for stray holding and for cruelty holding.

With coordinators of the project hoping to break ground in October, the organization is already beginning to gather any donations that the community is able to give. The capital donations page has recently launched on the group’s website. While the cat cafe has been fully funded at this time, the organization is offering naming opportunities for donors that help to make certain projects possible. Additionally, the organization is always happy to accept volunteers or fosters to help push further toward the goal of giving every animal a safe and happy home. This will be especially important during construction, as Development & Administrative Coordinator Holly Mullard noted that the organization will need to foster out as many animals as possible at that time.

“This is something that we think will be a significant improvement to the community with our multipurpose room, with a cat cafe. It’s bringing people here and it’s also having the capacity for the animals as well,” said Malinowski. “So we think this is a huge step in the right direction, and we are still dreaming beyond where this will take us.”