05/11/2026
🐾 What a great day at the Paris-Henry County Animal Shelter! Last week, we had the privilege of celebrating an incredible milestone for our shelter and our community.
We were honored to hear from Jessica Krueger with Best Friends Animal Society, who shared the journey the shelter has been on through the Shelter Collaborative Program. She highlighted the dedication and hard work that led to the shelter achieving a 92% save rate, officially recognizing it as a No-Kill shelter. Her words also reflected Animal Control Officer Zack Braham's strong leadership and commitment that made this progress possible.
We also recognized Shirley Newman with the Humane Heart Award for her generous contribution that made the new Shirley Newman Play Yard possible—a safe, covered, and enriched space for shelter animals to play and interact. Mayor Kathy Ray read a proclamation in Shirley’s honor, recognizing her compassion and lasting impact on animal welfare in our community.
Following the program, the Chamber of Commerce led a ribbon cutting for the Play Yard, officially opening the space. The celebration continued with tours of the shelter, time spent meeting adoptable animals, and plenty of puppy cuddles.
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the event, celebrate these accomplishments, and continue showing what a caring community Paris is. 🐶💙
