NiSHA Enters Public Phase Of Capital Campaign For New Facility

The Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals (NiSHA) is in the midst of building a permanent Animal Rescue and Resource Center off Airport Road, and the nonprofit is seeking public donations to cover the remaining cost.

“This is about building a resource for our entire community,” executive director Jessica Castineiras said. “Every day we see the difference that animals make in people's lives, and we also see how much people are willing to do for the animals they love. This center will allow us to serve both in ways we've only dreamed possible.”

The new facility will expand NiSHA’s operational capacity, allowing it to offer vaccine and spay/neuter clinics, dog training classes, financial assistance for pet families facing difficult times, end-of-life services, and increased educational opportunities.

While construction on the facility has already begun and 85 percent of the costs are covered, NiSHA is still looking to raise around $3 million, pegging the total cost at about $20 million. There are naming opportunities remaining at the facility. Donations can be made here.

“For 14 years, our community has helped us save lives, reunite families, and create happier endings for animals in need,” board and campaign chair Sally Charpie said. “Now we have the opportunity to create a permanent home that reflects Nantucket's compassion for generations to come.”

Operating out of a tiny space at the Offshore Animal Hospital, NiSHA has sheltered and cared for more than 3,400 animals since 2012. The new facility will allow NiSHA to host a rescue and adoption shelter, an education and community center, on-site medical services for shelter animals, memorial gardens and open space, pet-friendly staff housing, and a low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic. It will also include quarantine and isolation areas for animals that need to be briefly held separately for health and safety reasons.