THOMASTON — The Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County said longtime benefactor Lyman Pope has donated $1 million to help secure the overall vision of the organization, which includes the construction of a new 10,075 square-foot facility. The additional $1 million supports the shelter's $2.2 million capital campaign, with 92 percent of the funding now secured.

"For more than 15 years, in so many different ways, Mr. Pope has been a tremendous friend to homeless animals and the shelters who care for them across Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and a great friend to PMHSKC," said Tracy Sala, executive director, in a news release. "I am deeply grateful for this gift and his faith in us. Mr. Pope's generous donation, along with strong support from the community and 500 supporters, will have a substantial impact on our ability to save and care for homeless animals, benefiting the community for generations."

Pope has a long history of supporting the humane society that includes providing fencing for dog play yards, painting kennels, special dietary food for animals, Lyme testing kits, and a generous gift to launch our building campaign.

Pope of Jackson, N.H., founded the Lyman Pope Jr. Foundation, which helps animal shelters in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. A lifelong animal lover, Mr. Pope has supported more thn 37 shelters in the New England region. Three individual shelters, the Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, Pope Memorial Frontier Animal Shelter in Orleans, Vt., and Pope Memorial SPCA in Concord, N.H., were selected by Mr. Pope for major donations to continue the good work and services they provide and have been named in his honor.

"We are so thankful for Mr. Pope's support," said Board President Kim Grinnell. "This gift will allow us to begin construction of the new PMHSKC facility in the spring of 2015, a facility that addresses a critical need in our community."

On any given day, the humane society experiences a high volume of visitors and inquiries, including those viewing adoptable animals and those who have a need for services.

The demand for services continues to grow with intake of homeless animals reaching nearly 1,500 animals a year, more than doubling animal admissions from just 10 years ago. The current building floor plan provides an overcrowded facility that is not conducive to meeting the animal welfare needs of towns in Knox and Waldo Counties that PMHSKC's serves through contracted services and all others seeking help.

The Thomaston humane society will construct a new facility on land owned by the organization that is adjacent to the existing facility on Buttermilk Lane in Thomaston. The new building will feature a state of the art air exchange system and sanitation measures to reduce stress and disease, providing a healthier environment for staff and resident animals; separate dog and cat wings with segregated quarantine/isolation areas for sick and injured animals and a large room dedicated to educational programs to reinforce humane values and animal care knowledge.

Founded in 1989, the Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County is devoted to caring for and placing unwanted and abandoned animals in loving homes; promoting responsible pet ownership, humane treatment of all animals; demonstrating and enhancing the benefits of the human-animal bond and ending pet overpopulation through aggressive spay/neuter and Trap Neuter Return programs. The shelter is located between the Dexter Street Extension and Buttermilk Lane in Thomaston and is open between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays).

The facility provides animal support services to the towns of Rockland, Thomaston, Warren, Owls Head, St. George, Port Clyde, Martinsville and Tenants Harbor; So. Thomaston, Spruce Head, Hope, Union, Appleton, Montville, Cushing, Matinicus, North Haven, and Vinalhaven, Stockton Springs, Morrill and Thorndike. For more information about the humane society, visit hskcme.org.