Carson Animal Services Initiative receives $14,000 donation from Stemler family

The Carson Animal Services Initiative (CASI) center was given over $14,000 by a local family to contribute in their fundraising efforts to build an animal shelter in Carson City.

Kathleen and Jim Stemler donated $14,250 to the shelter Thursday, said CASI Director Lisa Schuette. The family in the past has also created cards and art pieces to give to CASI to sell to raise money for the shelter.

“They are such an amazing family,” Schuette said. “They both have a love for our furry friends.”

Schuette said that this is the second donation the family has made to the shelter in the last year. Last December, the family gave $11,000 to the shelter.

“The beauty behind this donation is that it supports the community in a profound way,” Schuette said. “It has been unbelievable.”

The shelter will be a no kill animal services and shelter community, and will be built at a cost in excess of $4 million, with just under that amount coming from city government, about $200,000 from CASI and more than $200,000 from the Reno-based humane society who runs animal services and operates the shelter. The government portion is from bonds backed by a one-eighth of a penny city sales tax boost in 2014. Schuette said the shelter has been overdue for 30 years and the community is in desperate need for a new one.

The shelter will be about 10,000 square feet and have the capacity to house 134 dogs, 104 cats and seven exotic animals.