Shelbyville–Shelby County Animal Shelter plays a vital role in the community and with recent assistance from Indiana Grand Racing & Casino, their mission will extend a little further. Indiana Grand recently provided a $2,500 donation to the organization who is committed to assisting cats and dogs in the area.

“Animal shelters in the area were hit hard in 2020 due to the pandemic and their numbers have continued to increase as a result, which has put a great strain on a lot of the facilities in the area,” said Mike Rich, Senior Vice President and General Manager. “We recognized these hardships and wanted to step in to provide some monetary relief for several shelters in the area, including the facility in Shelbyville. We are proud to continue our partnership with an organization that is so committed to their mission of assisting unwanted animals.”

The Shelby County Animal Shelter provides a much-needed service to the area, taking in dogs and cats that can no longer be cared for. They also receive strays, getting them off the streets and send them through a spay/neuter program before setting them up for adoption into new homes. One resident has made himself at home at the facility and has become a “poster cat” for the operation.

“Max Dyar came to us 16 years ago as an owner surrender, and we adopted him back out,” said Chris Browder, Administrative Assistant for the facility. “He came back to us last year when his owner could not care for him any longer. We tried to find him a home but because of his age, he was difficult to place. Our facility couldn’t adopt him, so he ‘adopted’ us. He now has his own social media following from coast to coast and has been featured on local television stations. He’s become a local celebrity.”

Known for his iconic expressions, Max was available for the check presentation from Indiana Grand, outfitted in his bow tie collar. He will benefit from some of the plans already underway through the donation from Indiana Grand.

“We will use this money for much needed dog beds and cat towers,” added Browder. “We will also use some of the funds for the exterior of our property. Spring always presents us with projects to fix. We want to beautify our facility and make it as inviting as possible, and we always welcome people in to adopt or to volunteer.”

The Shelbyville – Shelby County Animal Shelter is equipped with an outdoor walking trail behind the building, complete with a waterfall, to get the dogs out for exercise. They also have a play area for the canine residents, ideal for interaction with potential adoption families and volunteers. The facility is very community focused and works to “give back” as much as they can to the area.

“Twenty-five hundred dollars is a blessing to us,” added Browder. “We are very grateful for the continued support from Indiana Grand.”