POTSDAM -- Barrett Paving and Mike Ward Paving teamed up last month to pave the parking lot at the Potsdam Humane Society's new animal shelter at 17 Madrid Ave.

These two businesses worked on the project with the GYMO engineers of Watertown to orchestrate a flawless job.

PHS board members were convinced that they would have to scrap the idea of paving the lot and be satisfied with a crushed stone surface. Funds were just not there to pave the lot, or so they thought. But Barrett Paving and Mike Ward were willing to make their generous donations in material and labor. At the same time, Potsdam Humane Society was notified of an additional $20,000 grant from USDA Rural Development. These local business adjusted their schedules to do the work on fairly short notice.

Potsdam Humane Society and the communities it serves expressed gratitude to Mike Ward, Ward Excavating & Paving, and David Wright, Barrett Paving Materials, for their generous offer, exceeding the board’s expectations for the animal facility.

Potsdam Humane Society serves over 11 towns finding people for homeless pets and reuniting animal companions with their North Country citizens. Adopters are needed now, as the new larger animal shelter is full.

And they urge people to be responsible and spay and neuter their pets.