Through it all, the Voorhees Animal Orphanage adopted 1,199 animals in 2016.
VOORHEES TWP. -- The Voorhees Animal Orphanage has a pitch to all self-professed animal lovers out there: Walk one day in our shoes, then please put your money where your mouth is.
The Cooper Road facility, run by a small but devoted group of workers, has been managing to make ends meet for years now -- but marketing director Jennifer Bailey says it can't go on like this forever.
"We need $1 million. It's not because we're building the Taj Mahal," she said Wednesday after offering a tour of the operations that will ideally be housed in a new building sooner rather than later.
"If you see it," she said of the site that has been improved piecemeal and admittedly needs a brand new everything, "then you get it."
Seeing is most certainly believing at the beleaguered orphanage. The director's office is a shed and has been that way for at least the last six years Bailey has been on board. They don't have a surgical room, so spay and neuter operations are done down the road at another nearby shelter.
The main kennel building, a former chicken farm built prior to the orphanage's 1988 opening, was home to a surprisingly small number of cats and dogs as of Wednesday. But kitten season is coming, and all it takes is one hoarding case to turn that figure on its head, Bailey said.
"It does present an obstacle, but we do find ways around it," part-time cat manager Bill Romaile said of the feline quarters that desperately needs space for interaction with potential adopters.
Every town in this county has a dog in anti-puppy mill fight
The majority of funding for the shelter, which is a private operation, comes from the 17 local municipalities that pay monthly and work under two-year contracts.
"It's only in the hundreds of dollars," said Bailey of the stipends towns pay up, adding that one large Camden County municipality recent switched to the county shelter due to its lower rate. "That's our only guaranteed source of income."
Camden County spokesman Dan Keashen said the county provides in-house marketing, sponsorships and other assistance with fundraising.
"We have an ongoing dialogue with VAO and will continue to assist them in their operation moving forward into the future," Keashen added.
Despite the uphill battle, the Voorhees orphanage managed to adopt out 1,199 animals in 2016 and return 300 strays from that figure back to their owners. Further, they don't euthanize for age or space and contract with four local pet stores to get adoptable pets out in the public.
"We've got a dog with breast cancer and we're treating it," said Bailey.
So this is where you, dear animal-lover, hopefully come into play.
By visiting www.vaonj.org, those who wish to truly kick-start this overhaul project can step up. For $350,000, the orphanage will name itself after you; for $40,000, the cat room can be your namesake; a parking spot can bare your name forever for $500.
They already have volunteer architects and engineers who are helping with the design process and all the proper permits are in place. Foot traffic by those looking to provide a "fur-ever" home to adoptable animals is undeniably important, Bailey said, but "we need corporate sponsors."
"We are doing great things at our little shelter held together by duct tape and glue," said Bailey. "I love this place."
Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook.