StrayHaven Animal Shelter in Greenville is one major step closer to building a new home after Hempfield Township received $450,000 in state Local Share Account grant funds on the nonprofit's behalf. The shelter's decades-old building on Donation Road serves as its current home.
Pennsylvania State Senator Michele Brooks announced the award in September, according to the Office of State Senator Michele Brooks. Because Pennsylvania nonprofits cannot apply directly for Local Share Account gaming revenue grants, Hempfield Township served as the municipal applicant that formally received the funds for StrayHaven's new facility. The senator's September announcement lists a $450,000 award for the project.
Those gaming-revenue dollars flow through a specific state pipeline. Local Share Account Statewide grants are funded by gaming revenue under the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act and distributed through the Commonwealth Financing Authority, an independent agency within the Department of Community and Economic Development, per the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Why StrayHaven Had to Move
Why StrayHaven Had to Move StrayHaven plans to move from its current Greenville building to a new facility. The shelter purchased six acres of land at the corner of Wasser Bridge Road and Keystone Road in the Reynolds Industrial Development area, according to StrayHaven, with the purchase dated May 5, 2023.
The shelter's current facility is in Greenville. The planned 3,400-square-foot replacement is designed to expand shelter capacity by more than 45%, adding indoor and outdoor dog kennels, an indoor feline adoption area with an outdoor cattery, a grooming room, and a community education space, according to the senator's office. The new building is planned to include space for up to 20 dogs and 15 cats, with indoor and outdoor access for kennels and a community room or education center.
Closing In on a Multimillion-Dollar Goal
Closing In on a Multimillion-Dollar Goal StrayHaven is raising funds for the new building. It launched its capital campaign in 2023 and had raised about $200,000 before this year's grant announcement. The $450,000 grant, combined with prior fundraising, brought the campaign to 65% of its $1 million goal.
Beyond the state grant, the fundraising effort leans heavily on the community. StrayHaven's capital campaign includes selling $100 engraved bricks, produced locally by Shelley Memorial in Greenville, to build a commemorative brick garden at the new facility, according to the shelter. That capital push is separate from StrayHaven's day-to-day costs, which are funded through donations and local fundraising.
A 5K and the Animals Waiting for Homes
Community members can pitch in at the shelter's signature fall event. The 6th annual “Run for the Paws” 5K Run/Walk is set for October 10, 2026, in Riverside Park in Greenville, with a route along the Shenango River Trail, according to StrayHaven. Participants can register online through the shelter's website, per The Herald.
Shelter manager Katie Harnett oversees daily operations. StrayHaven primarily serves Mercer County. Among the animals currently at the shelter are a dog named Baloo and a cat named Delores, while another cat, Thomas Jefferson, makes use of the shelter's outdoor cat space known as the catio. One pregnant cat at the shelter is not yet ready for adoption, according to The Herald.
StrayHaven also functions as an authorized issuing agent for Mercer County dog licenses, requiring any owner reclaiming an impounded stray dog to purchase a license before taking the pet home, the shelter's website states. The shelter also facilitates pet adoptions. Shelter officials continue to encourage community members to support the new building campaign or volunteer as the project moves forward.
