CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte nonprofit hosted an event for community members looking to support CMPD Animal Care and Control's efforts to keep its crowded kennels as clear as possible.
Friends of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Services has unveiled its inaugural fundraising event: A night of food, drinks, live aerial performances and a silent auction.
The event is happened Friday, May 17, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Bloom Movement Artistry in Charlotte. The silent auction, which is already live, ended at 8 p.m. Friday.
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The goal of the fundraiser is to boost the group's boarding fund, which helps the shelter's foster parents pay to temporarily board their foster dogs if they have to go out of town or have another emergency. Financially assisting foster parents from having to bring their dogs back to the shelter in those cases saves kennel space at a time when the shelter is regularly maxed out on capacity.
To foster a CMPD shelter dog, complete this online application.
Charlotte's shelter has been undergoing construction since late last year. While the facility has gone 30 years without any expansion, even as Charlotte's population has doubled, the project will not add any kennels. Instead, it is meant to get CMPD ACC up to code.
There has been a separate discussion over funding a new or expanded shelter. Those pushing for more resources have been attending city council meetings for months, urging city leaders to include more kennel space and staff and a full separation of animal services and the CMPD police department, allowing both agencies to focus on their respective priorities.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.