$750,000 grant received for new adoption center

The Okmulgee County Humane Society is excited to announce its future home in Historic Downtown Okmulgee, made possible through a $750,000 grant from the Sam Viersen Family Foundation and the recent acquisition of a historic 5th Street structure.

Plans are underway to transform the 1920s building, spanning more than 4,000 square feet, into the Humane Society’s adoption center, marking a significant milestone in its mission to provide care and shelter to animals in need and to reduce euthanasia rates within the City of Okmulgee Animal Shelter. Okmulgee County Humane Society has operated as a separate entity – at a “no-kill” status and as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, not city- or state-funded – donating time, staff and care to support the City of Okmulgee Animal Shelter, with an office location residing within the city shelter and adoptable animals housed in foster homes or in boarding.

Okmulgee County Humane Society looks forward to the opportunity to save even more animals in need through the new adoption center.

“We are entirely grateful to the Sam Viersen Family Foundation for the opportunity to build an adoption center to facilitate our work, help more animals in need, serve the community and become an integral part of the continued revitalization of Historic Downtown Okmulgee. This is a dream and a gift beyond our imagination,” Aimee Robinson, president of Okmulgee County Humane Society, said. “Our adoption center will be a beacon in serving our community for years to come and will aid us in saving even more lives from city shelter and animals ‘dumped’ in the county. This truly is a year of revitalization for our organization and an incredible gift to our community at large.”

“The newly renovated facility promises to be a brighter, more contemporary environment that will be more welcoming to visitors and adopters,” Babs Martin, director of Okmulgee County Humane Society, said. “I am excited to offer a more pleasant experience for the public, as well as the animals we house. By having our own location, we will be able to assist residents in the county while also continuing to work closely with the City of Okmulgee. We have already begun steps to introduce the new industry standards of animal welfare vs. the old style of animal control.”

— Saving Animals, Uniting an Animal-Loving Community Guests, two-legged and four, will enjoy the modern, state-of-the-art facilities, which in addition to housing adoptable animals and a space for a future spay/neuter clinic, will also feature a small pet supply storefront. Okmulgee County Humane Society’s new adoption center will offer a bright and cheerful environment, providing ample space for families to connect with their new dog or cat and opportunities to get involved through volunteerism, fostering and more.

Working alongside award-winning architecture and design firm GH2 Architects, building plans are in progress. GH2 Architects is honored to announce its partnership with the Okmulgee County Humane Society in creating an innovative adoption center. This collaborative project will revolutionize animal welfare in Okmulgee, providing indoor and outdoor spaces, dedicated intake areas, administrative spaces and retail facilities. GH2 Architects’ design will prioritize Fear Free™ principles, ensuring comfort and well-being for both animals and humans.

“We are thrilled to be part of this project,” Jamie Prashaw, an associate principal with GH2 said. “Our design aims to create a welcoming environment for both animals and visitors, incorporating the latest in animal welfare practices and initiatives.”

More than a life-saving structure alone, the adoption center will host events and more, driving connectivity alongside Historic Okmulgee’s #OkmulgeeRising initiative.

“We envision being centric to the downtown Okmulgee community, hosting fun and engaging events, connecting with others dedicated to helping our cause, hosting informational events to educate about responsible pet ownership, offering spay/neuter clinics and much more,” Robinson said. “With this incredible gift, our adoption center can better ignite feeling and hope for the betterment of animals; house a number of dogs and cats in cheerful, fear-free kennel environments; and, very importantly, help to ensure a mindful and healthy work environment for our team, from staff to volunteers. We are eager to see plans come to fruition with our wonderful and dedicated GH2 architecture team.”

“This incredible gift by the Sam Viersen Family Foundation will open up a new era of positive animal welfare in our community,” Martin said. “We will be better equipped to provide daily animal enrichment, ensuring happy, healthy and engaged animals as well as enabling staff and volunteers with a rewarding work experience. All of this makes our adoption center a place people will want to come visit to meet their new best furry friend.”

Architectural plans are currently in progress, and construction is anticipated to begin by the end of the year. Renderings will be shared once the design is in its final stages.

Donations are greatly appreciated to help fund adoptable animals who remain in boarding until adoption or construction is complete. Continue learning about Okmulgee County Humane Society and donate toward their life-saving work at OkmulgeeHumane. org. — About Okmulgee County Humane Society Okmulgee County Humane Society is a 100% foster- based organization dedicated to rescuing and finding homes for dogs and cats from the City of Okmulgee Animal Shelter. As a small-but-mighty nonprofit – operating solely off of donations and not city- or state-funded – Humane Society staff and volunteers strive to save as many at-risk animals from euthanasia as possible, placing them in safe, caring forever or foster homes. Additionally, the Humane Society assists the community in finding lost pets, helping ensure overall pet well-being and offering beneficial programs, as budgetary constraints allow, such as Trap-Neuter-Return-Monitor (TNRM) for community cats, as well as low-cost spay and neuter for both dogs and cats.