At the Nevada County Animal Shelter, space is limited. When the shelter is full, the environment can become noisy and stressful for dogs, staff and potential adopters. But thanks to one local Eagle Scout, dogs now have more room to roam, and visitors have a better place to meet their future pets.
Spencer Thauberger recently completed his Eagle Scout project by building a “sniff spot,” a fenced-in outdoor space to give shelter dogs a calmer, more open space to exercise and interact with people.
The idea came from Thauberger’s personal connection to the shelter and his love for animals. He has adopted pets from Sammie’s Friends, the nonprofit that partners with Nevada County to support adoptions, volunteer coordination, foster care and medical cost assistance at the Nevada County Animal Shelter.
“I’ve just loved dogs, and I love what Sammie’s Friends does,” Thauberger said. “I also got a few of my pets from them, so I knew about the lack of space in the past. I asked what they might need help with, and one of the problems brought up was that a couple of spots on the path might need some sort of enclosure.”
A Project Powered by Community Support
To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, scouts must complete a large community service project before they turn 18. Thauberger explained that the requirements for the rank involve years of work.
“Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Scouts. There are six ranks and each of them have different requirements and you also have to earn a certain number of merit badges.” Thauberger said
All Eagle Scout projects must benefit the community and be service based. The project required raising funds and gathering volunteers to build the fenced area. In total, Thauberger raised about $3,500 and relied on help from friends, classmates and community members.
“I think the one thing I learned was how really involved our community is,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it alone, that’s for sure.”
He added that much of the physical work happened after school, often taking hours at a time.
“People at school came out here after school every day. Sometimes it would take forever, like six hours of twisting and stretching wire, and basically doing everything to make this possible.”
He admitted that the project took longer than he expected and how he’s grateful for all the work that friends and other community members put in.
“I greatly underestimated the time this would take,” he said. “That makes me even more grateful seeing everyone show up and really make a difference.”
Administrative Services Officer Lorie Hennessey, who oversees the County’s shelter operations, that community-driven efforts like Spencer’s make a difference in daily operations and help support the shelter’s mission to create the best possible environment for animals, despite crowded conditions, including those that stay for several months before finding their forever homes.
“Spencer’s passion for improving the lives of animals has been clear from the very start. His community‑driven contributions truly make a difference for the animals we serve, while giving our staff and volunteers another wonderful way to connect with our dogs beyond the kennel,” said Hennessey.
Boosting Adoptions and Animal Care
In addition to volunteer-led projects, Nevada County and Sammie’s Friends continue to meet high standards for animal care and work to increase adoptions. According to Animal Shelter Manager Lorie Hennessey, the County has increased staffing to ensure animals receive consistent care and attention.
The County and its nonprofit partner, Sammie’s Friends, have also increased outreach to promote adoptions and community involvement. Events such as “Tails with Nevada County” give residents opportunities to meet adoptable animals and learn more about how to support the shelter. So far, the event has a 100 percent adoption success rate across its first three events.
Sammie’s Friends continues to play a key role in these efforts by organizing adoption campaigns, coordinating volunteers and raising awareness about animals in need of homes. Bringing adoption opportunities to community locations like PetCo and local events is helping get dogs into homes more quickly and educate the community about animal welfare and volunteer opportunities.
In addition, Nevada County began a free spay and neuter program aimed at reducing the local pet population. To date, the program has provided over 250 spay and neuter services to unincorporated residents who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the procedure for their pets.
“If you can’t adopt an animal, the best thing you can do to help out is to spay and neuter your own,” Hennessey said. “Doing something as simple as that can help reduce overcrowded shelters.”
HOW TO HELP
Adopt: Give a shelter animal a permanent home. Adoptions are by appointment to help match visitors with the right pet.
Foster: Provide a temporary home for an animal in need. Fostering helps reduce shelter crowding and gives animals time to decompress.
Volunteer: Help with dog walking, animal care, cleaning, events and more.
Donate: Sammie’s Friends is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Food, pet supplies and monetary donations are accepted.
Info at https://www.sammiesfriends.org
NEVADA COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER
14647 McCourtney Rd.
Grass Valley, CA 95949
Shelter Hours: Wed–Sat, 12 p.m.–5 p.m.
Closed Sun–Tue (adoptions by appointment only)
*Stray animals are accepted every day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except holidays)
Dog Facility: (530) 471-5041
Cat Facility: (530) 274-1955
Grace Layburn is a junior at Nevada Union High School, interning with both Nevada County’s Executive Office and the Office of Emergency Services. This story was written in collaboration with County staff.