By Chris Fish
cfish@hometownnewsol.com
BREVARD -- For one organization, providing a safe and loving home for animals in need is the ultimate goal.
To fulfill this dream, members of the Friends for Animals Sanctuary, Inc., hope to build a no-kill, state-of-the-art animal sanctuary in Central Brevard.
"We hope to raise enough money to create a no-kill sanctuary for animals," said Traci Siegel, manager of the Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe. "We will create a place for horses, cats, rabbits and dogs to live peacefully, where they can either be adopted or live out the rest of their lives. We will work actively until this is accomplished."
While the group is still looking for land to build the facility, its fundraising efforts were set in high gear with the creation of The Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe.
The Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe, which hosted a grand-opening ceremony Nov. 15, features a variety of gently used items, including furniture, housewares, baby items, pet products, new and gently used clothing, designer purses and electronics.
Proceeds from the Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe will go to the development of the no-kill sanctuary, in which Friends for Animals Sanctuary said at-risk animals will reside in a stress-free area, with access to an outside area without any cages.
The Friends for Animals Sanctuary was founded in Sept. 2011. Since then, the organization has been rescuing animals from the local shelters and placing them into foster care, while searching for adoptive homes.
"We pull animals every week before they are euthanized," Ms. Siegel said. "(To build the animal sanctuary) we weren't able to do enough. We needed this store."
Ms. Siegel said the organization, which is a 501(c)(3), is currently searching for 15 to 20 acres of land for the sanctuary that will house dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. At least 15 acres of land will be required for sufficient room for the horses the sanctuary will hold.
Friends for Animals Sanctuary said the goal for the animal sanctuary is to rehabilitate and adopt animals that need special assistance.
For more than a year, Ms. Siegel said members of the group attended yard sales and utilized Craigslist to find items for the thrift shop, as well as make the goal of the organization known throughout the community.
The Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe is located at 5000 N. Wickham Road, No. 110, Melbourne. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
For more information, contact Traci Siegel or Donna Demers at the Sanctuary Thrift Shoppe at (321) 255-6640.