Five years ago, after a plea went out on social media, my family began taking home foster dogs from Companion Animal Alliance, an open-intake municipal animal shelter in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Overcrowding meant that healthy, sweet, tail wagging, face-licking adorable and adoptable animals would have to be euthanized. We wanted to help stop that.

In 2007 alone, the shelter had to put down nearly 11,000 of the dogs and cats that came through its doors. Today that number has been nearly halved thanks to a community that has stepped up in a big way and a shelter staff that goes above and beyond.

The shelter facilty itself, however, is a decaying, decrepit mess. Seriously, if you've never been to visit, you'd be totally depressed if you saw it. Built in the 70s for the purpose of holding animals for just a couple of days until they could be reclaimed or euthanized, the kennels are cooled only by floor fans in the hot Louisiana summers and kept warm in winter by little space heaters. Paint is chipping, ceilings are leaking, kennel doors are impossible to open at times (and worse, difficult to keep closed with some tragic consequences in the past).

The structure was never meant to hold as many animals as it does currently, nor to keep them until they can be saved. As a result, the main building is difficult to sanitize which means infection can easily spread. Spay/neuter surgeries are performed in a double wide trailer out back by two hard working veterinarians, two veterinary students and a vet tech student. And it's located on the outskirts of town beside the parish prison and across the road from the airport -- not exactly where prospective adopters want to go shop around for a pet.

Here's the good news: Some very generous people in our community have raised $10 million to build a new, state-of-the-art shelter on Louisiana State University's campus, a stone's throw from the university's veterinary school -- and in a beautiful location where propective adopters WILL want to go shop around for a pet. But another $2 million is needed to complete the facility and volunteers like me have been asked to help raise it.

Here's my ask: Can you help me support Companion Animal Alliance by making a donation?

I set myself a big goal -- $10,000 -- and a short time frame (May 14, the day after my birthday) because I'm the eternal optimist and also because I know you, my beloved Facebook friends, want to help. You have helped the shelter animals every single time I have asked. You've adopted our fosters from near (two houses away!) and far (New York! Chicago! Pittsburgh!). You've sent money for antibiotics when the animals were sick and for clipper blades so they could have clean shaves before surgery. You've dropped off clean towels, blankets, dog beds and dog food on my front porch so I could hand deliver it and feel like a hero. You inspire me and make me smile every day with your good wishes and emotional support, so I am pretty sure you're going to help me hit my goal. Right? Right!

The donation process is fast, easy and secure. If you are moved to do so, I would be thrilled if you shared this page on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (with a cute picture of YOUR pets) or wherever. You could also email a link to this page to your friends who don't use social media but love companion animals like we do. 

I will be obsessively checking this page to watch the numbers rise so even like a $5 bump could make me go, "Oh! Yay!" Also, I'd love it if you donated in honor or in memory of your own beloved pets. And for a $1,000 donation, you get naming rights to our next foster. I'll name it after your favorite pet, beverage, team, flower, cookie, relative or WHATEVER. I'll do that. 

Thank you for your generosity. I love and appreciate all of you big hearted souls so much! 

Renée

p.s. My gorgeous hunk, Crespo, came from Companion Animal Alliance. Do it for all of his buddies who are still waiting for their Forever Homes.