Grand Strand Humane Society reacts to 40-year lease approval for new shelter
HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — The Grand Strand Humane Society recently got the green light from a state committee to build a new animal shelter.
The approval comes after power company Santee Cooper made the request for a 40-year lease.
The state’s joint bond review committee recently voted 6 to 2 approving a 40-year lease off Waterside Drive in Horry County.
Executive Director for the shelter Jess Wnuk said they’ve been without a main facility for about two years.
“We have suffered several disappointments as you guys have covered,” Wnuck said. “And so this just feels absolutely amazing to have finally gotten to this point and feel like we have forward motion towards a new home.”
The Grand Strand Humane Society has worked out of two different shelters for the past two years, one for dogs and one for cats.
Santee Cooper offered a 10-acre property next to its gas turbine station, but the Grand Strand Humane Society needed the state’s approval to utilize the property since it’s a state-owned facility.
Tracy Vreeland, the spokesperson for Santee Cooper said they have done these kinds of leases many times before. Vreeland added it works out because the property is already zoned for a facility like the humane society.
“The Grand Strand Humane Society provides an important and necessary service to Horry County, and we’re pleased that we could support their mission and make good use of some currently idle property that we have,” Vreeland said.
Wnuk said she was in disbelief when she heard it was approved. She added that the humane society is working with an architectural firm who’s helped build more than 100 animal shelters and veterinary hospitals.
“So often I hear we’ll I’d love to volunteer but I can’t go in there, it’s just so sad, it’s so depressing and so our goal is to create an environment that encourages people to come out,” Wnuk said.
Wnuck said the next step is to get plans and permitting approved by the county which could take up to seven months.
She hopes that the new facility can serve both its animals and community better than the current ones.
“Getting back to doing humane education classes so we’re teaching children about the responsibilities of pet ownership and what that should look like,” Wnuk said. “You know without having a facility we’ve had nowhere to do these things.”
Wnuk said they hope to break ground in 2025 and open their doors at the beginning of 2026. She adds she can’t thank Santee Cooper, the state committee and the community enough for its support.
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Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here.
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