There isn’t much development along Walters Street in Troy. An automotive-related business, a few homes, Troy’s Public Works Facility and one small animal shelter.

Troy’s animal shelter can hold up to 15 dogs – lost, stray and abandoned. Right now there are 12 canines housed there.

“There’s always a problem with abandoned animals and overpopulation,” said Troy Police Sgt. Benny Scarbrough. “The problem, ultimately, starts with owners and lack of responsibility. But we help the ones we can.”

And one group of compassionate people partnered with the city to see that as many dogs are adopted and cared for as possible.

“Wherever we can lend assistance to the city, however they need, we hope to provide that,” said Su Green, president of the Troy Animal Shelter Coalition, Inc.

So far TASC has helped find homes for dozens of animals through adoption drives and have been able to provide some equipment and other items to the city shelter.

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But, ultimately, the group wants to help the community through building a state-of-the-art animal shelter that accepts both dogs and cats – something Pike County is currently lacking.

“Our goal is to build a modern, accessible facility,” Green said. “The city shelter is not a very marketable location for the adoption of animals. Our hopes are that when animals are situated in a warm, aesthetically pleasing environment, that adoption numbers will increase.”

The new facility is expected to have a public dog park and a separate wing of the building for cats and kittens to play as they are waiting to be adopted. And, Green said, the plan is to make the proposed shelter a place for the whole community – complete with educational opportunities and family-oriented events.

The Pike Animal Shelter is expected to cost about $500,000 to build and TASC has already received a two-acre land donation at 800 Henderson Highway. But construction on the building can’t start without more funding.

“We’re gearing up for one of our biggest events of the year,” Green said. “The ‘Going to the Dogs’ yard sale.”

All proceeds from the June 16 event in front of Sears in Troy will go toward helping homeless animals in Troy and building the new shelter.

Green said the event will begin at 7 a.m. and feature furniture, electronics, kitchen appliances and “a little bit of everything.”

“We’d love to see a big, long line on Saturday,” Green said. “We’ve always had great success in the past and have high hopes for this year, too.”

But the yard sale won’t be the end of fund raising for the group. Green said the TASC board is “very strong” and they are “heads down and concentrating” on ways to raise money to make certain the planned shelter is built.

“We’re really excited to try and make this happen for our community, and for the animals,” Green said.

To donate items to the yard sale this weekend or learn more about TASC, call Su Green at 434-0002.