ARF, and Smushie, Break Ground on “Furever” Home

The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday May 28, in Wainscott for a state-of-the-art rescue, adoption and year-round training facility.

Specially-trained canines, including a dog named Smushie, dug the first hole for ARF’s dramatic new expansion while ARF leadership, patrons, volunteers, county officials, and animal lovers gathered responsibly and enjoyed Rolling in Dough’s mobile pizza oven and Dreesen’s doughnuts.

The Town of East Hampton also honored long-time resident Richard Wells McCabe with a special proclamation to recognize his support of the ARF community through his transformational lead gift to ARF’s Forever Home project.

Designed by the Bacon Group, Forever Home will be anchored by the Richard Wells McCabe Welcome Center. Canines will move into a new 40-kennel building constructed with high-quality materials and a nitrogen-reducing waste treatment system along with flexible rooms for dogs with special needs, meet-and-greet rooms for adopters, and new outdoor exercise areas. A sophisticated HVAC system will cool, heat, and dehumidify the air, as well as treat it with UV light.

ARF’s catteries and kitten room will also be completely renovated, and include custom-built features for climbing, perching, and play.

A new 8,400-square-foot year-round training center will be built on-site which will include a viewing area, outdoor play yard, and an environmentally-conscious waste system.

This renovation was made possible by the generous donations of animal lovers, as part of ARF’s campaign to meet the challenges of adoption needs, and community outreach for animal rescue and welfare.

For more information, visit arfhamptons.org.