Lawrence Humane Society shelter volunteer Mary Brammer, a Kansas University freshman from Wichita, plays with one of the shelter's dogs. The shelter at 1805 E. 19th St. is undergoing a renovation that will add needed space, but sufficient funds to cover the project have not been raised.

The Lawrence Humane Society is in dire need of funds to pay for a 5,000-square-foot addition and state-mandated repairs.

Midge Grinstead, executive director at the shelter, said the project will cost about $525,000 and the shelter has only raised about half of that.

With construction under way, the shelter’s board of directors approved a $400,000 loan this week, but Grinstead is hoping that they don’t have to use it.

“Hopefully, we will get it all paid off before we have to draw from that loan,” she said. “Any money that we spend on interest or on a loan payment is money I could be using to provide services or care for the animals in our community. So, I hate it. It seems so wasteful.”

Grinstead originally was told the costs would be about $470,000, but the bids came in about $620,000.

In order to cut costs, Grinstead said, shelter workers are doing as much work themselves as possible. She said that work includes putting up drywall and landscaping. They also did some initial demolition such as tearing out kennels.

They also are looking for ways to get the word out that they need donations. One such way will be a float in this Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown Lawrence.

“We are going to have a mock of our shelter with just rafters for the roof and people in construction hats,” Grinstead said. “So, it’s going to be really clever.”

Lawrence resident Kali Vukas, a seven-year shelter employee, was painting paw prints on the float’s mock shelter Wednesday.

She is looking forward to the shelter’s addition, which will provide more space for animals, volunteers and those seeking to adopt.

“It is going to provide better ventilation and more room for the puppies to run around,” she said. “There will be soundproof rooms for kittens and rabbits.”

The bid for construction work went to First Management and is scheduled to be completed June 1, which would be just in time to meet the increased demands the summer brings.

Grinstead said the shelter takes in between 600 and 800 animals a month during the summer, more than double the 332 animals it took in during February.

“We are just running around like crazy people in the summer,” she said.