An art show and sale with a special yoga class, featuring animal art and poses, is one of the many upcoming fundraisers in place for the Piatt County Animal Shelter as they seek the best location for the new shelter.

“Anamalia: An Art Show for Animal Welfare” at Amara Yoga and Arts will be offered from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday Aug. 12. Donations of art work are being accepted for the show until August 10.

Grace Giorgio, who joined the PCAS board in February, has been a yoga teacher since 1999 and said the center, Amara, has been engaged in Karmic yoga where they donate yoga services for causes such as human and animal welfare, and such efforts as earthquake relief.

Giorgio will be teaching the animal pose yoga class, offered for a donation, from 7 to 7:45 p.m.
“It will be all animal poses,” she said. “It’s a cool thing for kids and parents and kids.” She said the class is designed to be easy enough for yoga novices to explore the art.

The fundraisers continue to add to the building fund for PCAS, with about $60,000 in the account at this point, said Diana McPheeters, PCAS founder. The board  and membership are looking at the best way to capitalize on the dollars for the building fund, and are considering a variety of options, including repurposing an existing building. The fundraising and organization have been working on the building project for just a little more than 3 years.

Another animal shelter effort in a nearby county took organizers almost 10 years to be completed, McPheeters said.

PCAS holds fundraisers for the building project and specific animal care fundraiser, such as kitten showers, to get supplies and funds needed for the animal care. Many of the animals placed by PCAS are in foster care situations until homes are found for them.

“And we couldn’t do it without the help from the Monticello Animal Hospital,” she said.
Trying to build a shelter to house homeless animals waiting for placement isn’t the only effort PCAS is making at this point.

“We are also trying to find ways to help people keep their pets,” McPheeters said. She and other volunteers work with people and their pets on behavior issues, among other things. Sometimes when a person simply can’t keep their pet, volunteers work to try to rehome the animal directly from its current home to a new home, reducing the stress on the animal and smoothing the adjustment to a new home.

“We’re always looking for creative solutions,” she said.

Piatt County Animal Shelter upcoming events

• An informational booth with be up at the Monticello Celebration in downtown Monticello from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 17.
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• The Third Annual “In the Ruff” golf outing is Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Monticello golf course. Tee off time is 10 a.m. Contact Pete McPheeters for team registration and more information. 217-433-2253
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• A fall rummage sale will be held 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 in the basement of East End Tavern. To schedule a donation drop off of clean, gently used items, call Susan Hall 217-493-8106 or Leann Topol at 217-898-3869.