The Humane Society of Hobart has been an animal shelter fixture in the community since 1954.
Now it’s time to move on to a new location, said its executive director, Jenny Webber.
“The cinder block is literally crumbling. It’s not safe for humans or pets,” Webber said.
Webber recently met with Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun to see if the city could help support their move to a different location and to a different building.
She said the mayor and city officials have offered “incredible support,” as have those throughout the Hobart community.
“We are in our quiet phase right now to see if we can move forward. The city is hoping to help us,” Webber said.
Huddlestun called the Humane Society a “staple in our community, providing resources and support to many of our pet families while also assisting our first responders when situations arise.”
“We have a strong working relationship with the Humane Society, and now that we are in a better financial position, we look forward to continuing conversations about how we can help support their needs,” Huddlestun said.
He added, “We also understand there is a connection between animal welfare and certain types of crime, and anytime we can partner together, it helps make Hobart a better and safer community. I’m excited about the future of the Hobart Humane Society and the important role it will continue to play in our city.”
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Some 2,500 animals, including cats and dogs, come through the shelter each year, Webber said.
Of those, some 1,300 pets are adopted and around 1,200 pets are fostered.
The strays include those picked up from field services, police raids, car accidents and other area shelters.
Staff, following police raids, have recovered rats, emus, snakes, fish and ferrets, Webber said.
“That is the expected,” Webber said.
The Humane Society, which has some 22 employees and a few hundred volunteers, became a no-kill facility in 2018, Webber said.
The facility has a $1.3 million budget, receiving about $50,000 from the government but most of its finances come through private donations.
Costs have continued to climb, and taking care of each animal is now $450 in 2026. That cost includes electricity costs, vaccines/spay and neutering, and staffing, Webber said.
According to its website, the Humane Society is a nonprofit animal facility that offers shelter, adoption and medical care for homeless pets, holding municipal contracts with several local towns.
The Humane Society’s focus is on building and strengthening pet families through barrier-free adoptions that include spay/neuter surgery, microchipping and vaccinations, and has achieved a high live release rate by focusing on compassionate care and community partnerships.
The Humane Society, housed in a run-down black and white building off Ind. 130, is showing its age with cat and dog cages not secure, water-stained ceilings and walls, and offices filled to the brim with supplies and oftentimes pets.
Space requirements are so needed that pets in cages often share space with people in the kitchen and offices, said manager Tracy Colza.
“We have animals in every crevice,” Colza said.
Right now, Webber said officials at the Humane Society are looking for land, hopefully 10 to 15 acres, to build on.
“We are crumbling down to the ground and sinking and looking for anyone who wants to donate land,” Webber said.
That new shelter would include an outdoor area for both staff and the public to walk their dogs and a resource campus that would have veterinary care.
And although the physical facility is not in good shape, that doesn’t mean the commitment toward taking care of the animals isn’t there within the heart of every staff member and volunteer working hard and doing their best, Webber said.
“They are selfless and so loving and so incredibly talented…. They are all around so inspiring. We know it starts with our culture, and there is no drama with our volunteers and staff. They are just totally committed to taking care of pets in need,” Webber said.
For more information, go to hshobart.org.
Deborah Laverty is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.