Animal rescue one step closer to new facility with land purchase

PRIEST RIVER – The Priest River Animal Rescue (PRAR) is one step closer to building a new facility after purchasing 2.52 acres of land adjacent to the Ranch Club and Les Schwab Tire Center off Highway 2. The non-profit, no-kill shelter’s board of directors announced last month that John Vickers and Debbie Soderblom from The Ranch Club sold a parcel of land to the rescue.

“We’re so excited and so grateful,” PRAR President Barbara Grover said. “We’ve been working towards this for several years and John and Debbie have provided us a big movement forward.”

The rescue’s current location at 5538 Highway 2, is at capacity in a building that’s in need of electrical upgrades, including heating and cooling. According to Grover, the expansion would allow for a larger facility with better amenities for cats and dogs, including a veterinary space and larger dog run. Built in the 1950s, the existing rescue has no heating or air conditioning, so staff and volunteers rely on radiator heaters and wall air conditioners. And the rescue’s puppy isolation shed does not have heat or hot water, so the shelter is forced to turn away puppies in the winter while the shed is closed. Currently, the rescue only has the capacity for about 60 cats and 10 dogs.

The Critters Thrift Store, which helps raise funds for rescue operations would also have more room so it could accept furniture donations, have a kids’ and baby section, year-round holiday room and medical inventory like walkers, portable shower chairs, etc.

Grover said the approximate cost of the project is $3 million. The shelter is still accepting donations and applying for grants in hopes that they can break ground next spring.

“Our staff and volunteers work hard, and the community has always supported us, so we’re asking people to just hang in there with us so we can bring this facility to life,” Grover said.

According to Grover, there were 143 surrendered dog applications to PRAR in 2025. There have been 96 so far in 2026, not counting walk-ins, phone calls, or dogs that are brought into the Rescue by local police departments. There were 75 surrendered cat applications in 2025, with 98 this year. The latter does not reflect multiple cats in applications or walk-ins. PRAR has 55 volunteers and employs a staff of 20.

For more information on PRAR, including how to volunteer or donate, go to www.pranimal- rescue.org and check out updates on www. facebook.com/ priestriveranimalrescue.