CAMPBELL CO., Va. – Bring Animal Renovations to Campbell County — known as BARCC — has raised $1.2 million toward a brand-new animal shelter that leaders say would improve the experience for animals and adopters alike.
Six years in the making
BARCC President and Co-Founder Katie Lane says the organization has been building toward this moment for years.
“We began about six years ago, became a full 501C3 who created the name BARCC, we were an actual entity at the point,” Lane said. “The past couple of years we’ve really started hitting that fundraising a lot harder.”
The current shelter is frequently at capacity, forcing staff and volunteers to make difficult decisions about which animals can be housed and cared for.
What a new facility could mean
Lane says a new building would increase capacity, create more welcoming adoption spaces and reduce euthanasia by keeping more animals healthy and adoptable. The facility would also serve as an educational resource for children and students learning about animal care and welfare.
Building a shelter, however, comes with a hefty price tag.
“Per square footage, an animal shelter is one of the most expensive buildings you can build because of the proper coding and the proper HVAC that’s needed,” Lane said. “It’s actually more expensive than a school to build so while it might not be as big as a school, but per square footage is what’s required is a little bit different.”
Funding gap narrows
The project has received a significant boost from Campbell County itself.
“When we first started the county put aside $800,000 for it but the county is through the advocacy and the endlessly to their community has bumped up to 2.5 million so that puts us at 3.7 million total,” Lane said. “When we go the conceptual designs done, that was a 3.8 million dollar starting point.”
That puts BARCC within striking distance of its construction goal — but officials say the timeline and budget details are still being finalized. The $1.2 million milestone reflects strong community support, but more funding and approvals are needed before construction can begin.