The Idaho Humane Society received a $150,000 challenge gift from top Hollywood movie producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall recently that Humane Society officials say will go towards its new state-of-the-art shelter and veterinary facility.
Kennedy and Marshall are challenging the community to match their $150,000 donation by March 18 of this year.
“We are honored to be the recipients of such a generous donation, said Idaho Humane Society CEO Jeff Rosenthal. “This will certainly help us on our way to completing our goal.”
Nominated for five Academy Awards, Kennedy and Marshall are two of the premiere film producers in the entertainment industry. Their body of work has come to define a generation for moviegoers, producing such blockbuster hits as the “Back to the Future” and “Indiana Jones” franchises. Their Academy nominations include “The War Horse,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Munich,” “Seabiscuit,” and “The Sixth Sense.”
Kennedy and Marshall have been long-time supporters of the Idaho Humane Society and have kept close ties to the Treasure Valley throughout their careers, according to an IHS news release.
All donations raised in the Community Challenge will go toward the Idaho Humane Society’s new ten-acre facility currently under construction off Overland Road.
The facility will include:
· A state-of-the-art veterinary clinic –- twice as big as the current one – to assist injured animals, grow the spay/neuter program, and help low-income residents.
· New roomier dog kennels with noise-controlled housing, sanitary air, and natural light -- as well as new play areas.
· Cat-colony rooms and “catios” (a patio for cats) with sunlight exposure and room to roam and play.
· A public dog park for owners to congregate and play.
“In the two decades since our current facility was built, the science of animal sheltering has drastically changed,” Rosenthal said. “The Idaho Humane Society facility located on Dorman Street was originally built in the mid-1980s to accommodate short-term stays. The new facility will house animals in roomier, calm spaces to keep them happy and healthy,” he explained.
The new veterinary clinic will also provide high-quality care to homeless animals, injured strays, and low-income clients that have nowhere else to turn.
The donate, you urged to go to the Idaho Humane Society’s website: idahohumanesociety.org.
