Animal lovers in DeKalb gathered Saturday for a sneak preview of a new animal shelter soon to open in the area.

Taking Animals Into Loving Shelter, an organization seeking alternatives for homeless animals in DeKalb, invited volunteers and supporters of the organization to the DeKalb Elk’s Lodge, 209 S. Annie Glidden Road, to thank them for all of their help.

“This is our second annual ‘Thanks-for-Giving’ event. Everything was donated for it, so we don’t want our donors to think we used their money on this,” TAILS President Kathy Stelford said.

The event included an awards ceremony for top volunteers as well as a slide show of animals that have been adopted this year or are in need of adoption. TAILS has found homes for over 500 animals since it began in 1999.

“Does anybody need a kleenex? I know I do,” Stelford said after watching slides of cats and dogs in need of homes.

After awards were given out, those attending were given a computer-simulated tour of the new animal shelter, which is being built on Peace and Barber Greene roads for an estimated $1 million. TAILS is expecting to open the 6,200 square-foot structure at the beginning of spring.

“There is a lot of interest in animal welfare in DeKalb County, but there are horribly few resources,” said Beth Drake, TAILS program development coordinator.

The need for a permanent shelter in DeKalb is crucial because the temporary facility at 11634 E. Lincoln Highway is not up to par, Drake said.

“There is no ventilation and the paint is peeling. Our ventilation is open windows right now,” Drake said. “I think the place is going to fall down as soon as we leave it.”

Without the help of the many volunteers, Drake said, TAILS would not have been able to make the new shelter become a reality.

“Everybody works so hard. I’m very proud of what everybody has done,” Drake said.

The new facility will include many innovative ideas that have not been used in many animal shelters, Drake said.

There will be two cat colonies to allow social cats to live in a larger room together, but there also will be separate rooms for cats that do not get along with others. One of the colonies, the Dancing Cat Solarium, comes from $40,000 generated from a benefit concert by solo pianist George Winston.

“The key to it is to have creative housing that will reduce the animals’ stress,” Drake said.

The dog dwellings also will be progressive, Drake said. Dogs up for adoption will live in 4-by-6-foot “real-life” rooms that will create a comfortable atmosphere and reduce stress.

Quarantine rooms also will be available for animals that are sick or have diseases. A wildlife room will house such animals as birds and raccoons that need to be nursed back to health.

TAILS Vice President George Balster said the facility will take the organization to new heights.

“I think TAILS is right on the verge of becoming a community icon. This is going to be the place people go to when they decide to get a new pet,” Balster said.

Donations to TAILS can be made through P.O. Box 947 in DeKalb.