By Eamon Baird

[email protected]

TROY — The Miami County Animal Shelter (MCAS) is seeking the public’s help for Ella, a 6-month-old pitbull, while they continue to raise funds for a new facility.

After entering the shelter Ella was taken to Stonyridge Veterinary Services for X-rays and then to Tipp City Veterinary Hospital, where Dr. Jim Mathias performed her surgery on May 1. The total cost of Ella’s surgery was $3,981.

Rob Craft, the director of MCAS, gave an update on Ella’s condition, who has been dealing with a severe break on her front right leg since April 14. Ella was brought into the shelter after an animal cruelty investigation on April 29.

“It was a long surgery, and it was complicated, but it was successful, and we expect her to have a full recovery from that,” Craft said.

“We’ve raised approximately half of the funds needed for the surgery,” Craft said. “We want to give special thanks to Dr. Steve Ritzi. He’s helped us in the past with special cases like this financially and he was able to donate $1,188.60 to help with Ella’s surgery.”

Currently no charges have been filed against the previous owner of Ella, but Craft said that it is an ongoing investigation.

Now that Ella is recovering the shelter is seeking a foster home as she continues her progress.

“She’s a very chill dog. She’s very laid back and has a good disposition,” Craft said. “She just needs a little time to heal and time for the medications to take effect. And, and I think she’ll be just fine.”

Any potential foster families will go through a screening process including a background check.

“We supply everything that they would need, whether that be the medications, food, kennels, crates, whatever it might be that they might need. We’re happy to provide those at our expense. We don’t expect our fosters to pay for any of that stuff,” Craft said.

Craft asks people making donations for Ella to write it in a memo or let a staff member know when they drop off the donation. They can also call in and make donations at the Tipp City Veterinary Hospital.

MCAS is also seeking the public’s help as they begin the process of a new upgraded facility which will be located on Lytle Road and will have many new features and upgrades. The new proposed facility will be more than double the space of the current shelter, and be able to house 50% more dogs and cats.

Miami County Partners for Animal Welfare (MCPAW) a non-profit organization is helping raise the funds to upgrade the new and improved shelter, which will cost an estimated $7.5 million.

“One of the big things is that we’ll be able to have a medical clinic in our new shelter with a vet and provide some low-cost services to the community like low cost, spay and neuters low costs, vaccine clinics and micro-chipping,” Craft said.

The new animal shelter will also feature:

• New dog housing with a two-compartment design for easy cleaning and sanitation;

• Puppies housed separately from adult dogs for disease control and safety;

• New cat housing with two-compartment cages, for easier cleaning and to reduce stress;

• Free-roaming cat rooms for visitation and socialization;

• Dog and cat maternity wards;

• An adoption interview area;

• Modern air system with heating, air conditioning, and specialized ventilation;

• A multipurpose room for meetings and community events;

• Increased parking.

“We just broke that million-dollar mark with our fundraising, so we’re, you know, we’ve we feel like we’ve got some momentum going in a positive direction,” Craft said.

Mojo’s Bar and Restaurant in downtown Troy is holding month-long campaign in May where it is asking patrons to round up to the nearest dollar to help benefit the new shelter. The restaurant also has QR codes for phone donations.

MCPAW can be reached at www.facebook.com/MiamiCountyPAW, and donations can be made at by clicking on the PayPal link.

The Miami County Animal Shelter is located at 1110 N. County Road 25A. They are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays; and, closed on Thursdays and Sundays.