Proposed Parma animal shelter may have found home

There may at last be a home for the proposed Parma animal shelter. The animal shelter committee is currently negotiating a lease for the former Falcheck Veterinary Clinic at 1215 Hilton Parma Corners Road.

Beth Garlock, secretary of the Kathleen Tenny Animal Shelter Committee, said if all goes well with the negotiations, the shelter could be operational as early as July. This would mean Parma’s stray pets could find a home much closer than Lollypop Farm where they currently have to be transported. Residents would also get the chance to adopt pets from this local shelter.
"It is an excellent facility," said Garlock, talking about the former Falcheck building. "Everything we need is already in here." The building was vacated months ago when William Falcheck combined practices with Timothy S. Bostley at the Hilton Veterinary Clinic at 251 East Avenue.

A committee of five was commissioned in 1999 by the town board to work on making this shelter a reality. About $500,000 was left to build an animal shelter when Parma resident Kathleen Tenny passed away 10 years ago.

The idea of putting an animal shelter in Parma was cause for some lively discussions at the board level. Councilman Dick Yolevich said he was skeptical about the project when it first began.

"I wasn’t crazy about the town being in the dog business," said Yolevich, adding that after much discussion and some important changes, the animal shelter committee has received the town board’s approval.

"We’ve as much as given them the go ahead ... with the understanding that no taxpayer dollars will be used," said Yolevich.

While continuing to negotiate the lease, the committee is also working on obtaining a not-for-profit status. The majority of the staff would be provided through volunteer help. The shelter would be used to hold animals for seven to 10 days, beyond that point they would be transported to Lollypop Farm.

Garlock said she is pleased with some of the support the project has received. "The local veterinarians here have been great," said Garlock. "Lollypop Farm has also been very supportive of us."

Bostley, of the Hilton Veterinary Hospital, will be providing medical care for animals brought to the shelter.

Committee Members: Bud Hendershot, Donna LaForce, Beth Garlock, Pat Reuschle, Cheri Richard-Ozminkowski.