A history-making day for the Shoalhaven branch of the Animal Welfare League of NSW, opening a new information centre and op shop in Bomaderry.
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The new venture has been more than 40 years in the making.
AWL NSW chief financial officer Steve Ruzic and Shoalhaven branch president Annette Smith conducted the official opening of the new centre in Meroo Street on Monday (November 8) in front of a small gathering of members and volunteers.
Ms Smith said it was an exciting day for the organisation.
"The Animal Welfare League NSW has had a branch in the Shoalhaven for 43 years," she said.
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"We recently came into possession of minutes from meetings 40 years ago and there was talk of having such an operation back then.
"So to finally have this information centre and op shop open is fantastic."
The Shoalhaven branch of the AWL NSW is one of 20 such branches located around the state.
Branch volunteers and foster carers generously give their time to assist with the rescuing, rehoming, assisting those on low income with desexing their pets and helping the regions' homeless with their animals through the Shoalhaven Pets of the Homeless Program.
The new shop is located right in the heart of Bomaderry, across the road from the Bomaderry Railway Station, at 67 Meroo Street.
The building has previously been used as a bank and a cycle shop.
It is open from 10am-4pm Monday to Friday and 10am-noon Saturday.
"We have been operating in the Shoalhaven for 43 years and some people still don't know we exist," Ms Smith said.
"This now gives us a home and a place where the general public can come and learn what we do. In the past we operated out of our various volunteers' homes.
"The op shop is an added bonus. It allows us to raise funds and all those funds will be used locally to help local animals."
She said the op shop has items of interest for everyone and is one of three now open by the organisation, including one at Armidale and the Great Lakes (Manning area), with plans for another shop to be established on the Far South Coast.
"We don't have an animal shelter as such, so our animals are housed with our foster families," she said.
"Which is also an advantaged as we get to see first hand an animal's behaviour. We get to know the animal."
If you would like to learn more information about the AWL NSW or the Shoalhaven branch in particular head into the new Bomaderry information centre or call on 0429 429885.
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