WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The sound of dogs barking can be heard as soon as you walk into the Lycoming County SPCA shelter in Williamsport. It's cool inside now, but during the recent heat wave, staff had to get creative to keep the animals safe.
"We actually had an air conditioning unit go out during the heatwave," said executive director Alyssa Correll. "We do have an organization with whom we work to repair and oversee our HVAC. We called them in to come and do repairs, and when they did, from their explanation, what I understood is that because of the heat and how much space we have to cool, it just overpowered our units."
All AC units are on top of the Lycoming County SPCA's roof. The one that shut down is used to help keep the dog kennels cool.
"In addition to making the necessary repairs so our kids were all calm and comfortable, we also wanted to look into, 'OK, how do we prevent this from happening again.' So one of the things we're looking at doing is getting another unit to help reduce some of that strain on our existing units."
Before the repairs were made, volunteers at the SPCA got creative to help keep the dogs cool.
"I just put treats and then stew, and then broth, and you just freeze them," said volunteer Abigail Harris. "It's fun to watch them have them because you just put them in there, and they will destroy them."
Although the AC unit is fixed, the Lycoming County SPCA will be left with a hefty bill.
"We estimate that to be about $20,000, which is significant, so we are still seeking donations, either for that or for the original repair which I'm still waiting for the invoice from our HVAC company," Correll said.
Click HERE to make a donation to the Lycoming County SPCA.