Jasper County Animal Rescue League to close June 30

Financial burden caused by the coronavirus pandemic has forced the Jasper County Animal Rescue League to permanently close its doors and transfer its remaining animals to another shelter, the organization’s board said in a press release Monday morning.

COVID-19 has devastated the organization, which was already experiencing financial struggles for the past several years. The health crisis forced the cancellation of major fundraisers which put an even bigger burden on the shelter. Those funding shortages coupled with an overcrowded shelter and a deteriorating building, the board said “it is in the best interest and safety of the animals” to cease operations.

"The board has been actively working to try to revive and save this shelter for well over two years and the current board has put in countless hours over the last year to try to save it," JCARL Board President Kelsey Terpstra said. "I think the COVID-19 pandemic just put us in a position where we can't recover."

JCARL will be partnering with the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, which has agreed to take in all of the Newton-based organization’s animals and “work on finding them the loving homes they deserve.”

"We have about 30 animals actually leaving (Tuesday) morning,” Terpstra said. “So we have already been working with the ARL of Iowa.”

JCARL staff will work through the month of June to fulfill its animal control obligations.

“We feel really, really good about our relationship with them. They have been wonderful to work with," Terpstra said.

JCARL often updated its Facebook page with a photo series of animals that were recently adopted. The organization’s most recent Facebook post explaining the closure has already seen an outpouring of support and thank yous from the community.

"I think there is not enough words to say that would be adequate to the citizens of Jasper County,” Terpstra said. “We are forever grateful for every time they step up, whether we are having a big fundraiser or they are out of kitty litter for the week. We really do feel thankful and we hope that there will be something in the future that can fill the need that is there."

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com