BELLEFONTAINE, OH (WCMH) — Employees of the Top of Ohio Pet Shelter in Logan County were hoping this day would never come.

But fundraising efforts were not enough to keep the only animal shelter in the county open.

According to the shelter’s Executive Director, Barbara Faulkner, the place is $ 50,000 in debt and would need $170,000 to stay up and running strong. The focus on Thursday was to get the rest of the remaining dogs at the shelter adopted. “The public, I think was a little bit in shock. I think everybody wanted to help, the the debt was just so large.”

Faulkner explained that even though the public knew the shelter was closing Thursday, calls were still coming in from people needing help. “I got a call last night from an elderly gentleman who could no longer keep his dog. So at five or six o’clock last night I was running out and picking up a dog,” said Faulkner.

Susan and David Fleece of Urbana lost their dog to cancer a year ago. They heard the shelter was closing and therefore decided to get their new dog from the Logan County shelter. “It’s odd you never hear of a shelter closing and it’s a shame that we’re not able to keep this going because there is a need,” said Susan Fleece.

Now that the shelter will be closed, any dog or cat that needs a home will have to be brought to the Union County Humane Society.  The Humane Society serving Logan County is the non-profit organization that runs the animal shelter. Those working for the group say they hope they can restructure and find a new way to serve the residents of the county.What others are clicking on: