BURLESON COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — Haven Animal Rescue of Texas is preparing to build a permanent campus in Caldwell after five years of operating without a dedicated home. The volunteer-led nonprofit has leased three acres from the city of Caldwell and is now seeking donations and volunteers to fund construction.
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Steve McCoy of Haven Animal Rescue described the scope of the project.
"We've leased three acres from the city of Caldwell just inside the property to put our campus on, and the campus consists of an admin building, a kennel building, and an isolation slash surgical building," McCoy said.
For founder Tracy Kellar, the new facility represents the culmination of years of work she has largely carried out alone.
"I've been doing the physical part of it pretty much solo for 5 years, and it's exhausting," Kellar said.
Kellar said the daily demands of running the rescue fall almost entirely on her shoulders.
"Everybody gets fed, everybody gets clean water, everybody gets their pens cleaned every day, and it's just me most of the time," Kellar said.
The new facility is designed to ease that burden by giving volunteers more room to help, providing animals with a safe shelter during severe weather, and bringing the rescue closer to the broader Burleson County community.
For Kellar, the moment still feels surreal.
"I'm blown away by it honestly a lot," Kellar said.
"I cannot believe that this little dream that I had of starting a rescue is actually gonna turn into a facility for Burleson County," Kellar said.
With the land already cleared, Haven Animal Rescue is now calling on the community to help move the project forward.
"We have to continue saving these animals and I need help every day with that. I mean in any way, shape or form you feel like you can help, please, please come and help," Kellar said.
The team hopes to complete the first of the three buildings sometime next year. Donation information is available here.
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