SOUTH BEND — The city of South Bend wants a better facility for stray animals, but the economy is making it tough. Budgeted money that was put aside for a new shelter in 2007 is no longer there, but instead of being down and out, a new organization is stepping up to show animals they care.

"These animals just don't have any representation,” says CARE founder Valerie Schey, “and I feel so bad because, unfortunately, there are some people around here that do some horrible things, and in my volunteer service here I've seen some of those animals come in and it just breaks my heart."

The Community Animal Rescue Effort of South Bend, or CARE, is a not-for-profit group looking to raise enough money to start renovation on an already existing building on the west side of South Bend that was originally set aside for a new shelter before budget cuts were made.

CARE members feel that the current conditions at South Bend Animal Control are simply too small to contain all the animals that they have coming in. Right now the facility on Olive Road in South Bend has about 19 kennels total, and they are stacked next to each other on the first floor. The building is only 3,000 square feet, which makes it difficult for some people to look at animals for potential adoption. And with all the animals packed in, there are also disease concerns.

"Currently our exclusive focus is to raise $1 million so that we can move forward with the construction of the new facility," Schey says. "The new facility will be located at 521 Eclipse Place in Kennedy Park, just a couple blocks over from where we are now, and it is an existing structure that will be expanded and renovated."

So far CARE has raised only $9,000, but they are hopeful that they will eventually get to the $1 million mark.

"CARE is a new organization, so we are working really hard on trying to get the awareness out there to the public that we do exist," says Gary Libbey with South Bend Animal Control. "There are lots of animals that do need our assistance, and our care, and that's what were striving to do right now is raise the public awareness and transfer that into momentum for the fundraising activities we have planned."

For more information on CARE, click here