BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — We’re just a week from the Bakersfield SPCA’s Unleash your love event. The shelter is asking for your help to renovate a room serving some of Kern’s most vulnerable animals. The SPCA hopes to raise $50,000 during this year’s Unleash Your Love event … to renovate its puppy room for the first time in more than 20 years.
“It’s been 23 years since Buck Owens and Jennifer Owens did the last facelift here,” said Chuck Nordstrom, Assistant Executive Director of the Bakersfield SPCA. “Given the amount of time, it’s been not hundreds, but thousands of puppies that have found this their home in between these walls. You can imagine the wear and tear with all that puppy pandemonium.”
The puppy room houses more than two dozen pups.
“It’s time for new flooring, patch the walls, new painting,” said Nordstrom. “As you’ll see around here, duct tape on the floors covering seams that are splitting.”
This comes as space runs low at the SPCA, with more than 150 animals in total.
“If you get a couple litters … one of seven, one of nine, and a few stragglers on their own … It doesn’t take time to fill up.”
Nordstrom says fundraising for the shelter doesn’t stop with next week’s event.
“If we can get more, that would be great,” said Nordstrom. “Because the building also needs a new roof.”
17 News will be live at the SPCA on Friday, April 29 from 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. You don’t have to wait until next week to donate! You can text ‘PUPS’ TO 661-390-9552. Donations can also be made online, at the Bakersfield SPCA’s website.
