Leaders of Westminster’s nonprofit animal shelter say they are raising funds to stay open

The WAGS Pet Adoption animal shelter in Westminster is quickly trying to raise $120,000, which its chief executive says it needs to stay open.

The nonprofit organization, which contracts with the city to shelter stray animals, started a GoFundMe campaign that has raised more than $42,000 so far.

“It’s a Hail Mary, but I need to know I have the funds to pay for the services for the next year,” said Michelle Russillo, who runs WAGS.

WAGS and the city of Westminster are engaged in negotiations over animal services. Russillo said the city’s last proposal, about $465,000, won’t cover her operating costs in the next fiscal year. The current contract with the city ends June 30.

However, Alan Iwashita of the Westminster Police Department said the city is open to negotiating an agreement.

“We are still in conversations with WAGS,” said Iwashita, a commander who oversees animal control.

Cortney Dorney, WAGS director of operations, said the shelter has facilitated about 6,700 adoptions since opening in 2011.

“What we do here is different than the other local shelters,” Dorney said. “We have an avid medical behavioral rehab program. Animals that come in here and are aggressive, scared, nervous or won’t let us touch them, they are not euthanized. That is not a thing for us. That is a project dog or project cat for our staff.

“That is one of the main reasons for WAGS to stay because there are so many animals that won’t get that chance if the city has to go to another facility and use them as their shelter services.”

Dorney said WAGS offers an unusual level of community engagement by offering yoga classes with dogs and allowing children to read aloud with cats.

“We are a community-involved shelter,” Russillo said. “That would all go away if WAGS goes away.”

The shelter is responsible for about 160 animals, with 75 being cared for on the property and more in foster care.

Russillo said those numbers are the smallest since the organization opened. In November, for example, WAGS had 746 animals in its care.

Russillo said shelter costs have risen over the years for a variety of reasons. A partnering veterinary hospital that shared the rent with WAGS moved, a wealthy benefactor died and the shelter began serving animals from neighboring Stanton, she said. There were also three animal hoarding cases that brought in an unexpected number of pets.

If WAGS closes, the organization will launch an adoption drive and contact rescue operations in its network in hopes of placing the pets currently in its care, Dorney said.

Iwashita said that if the relationship doesn’t continue with WAGS, the city will see if other shelters in the area are interested in bidding on the contract.

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