LE MARS, Iowa (KCAU) — After a strenuous process that lasted more than two years, Wet-Nose Rescue Plymouth County Shelter and Adoption opened its doors for the first time Saturday to show the public what they’ve been working on.

Angel Anderson started this mission of bringing an animal shelter to Plymouth County in July of 2019 when she and a few others officially kicked off their non-profit organization.

On November 1, the Wet-Nose Rescue Board voted unanimously to rent an old airplane hangar on the south side of Le Mars for their shelter location. Anderson spoke on why this is necessary for the sake of homeless dogs and cats in the area.

“Calls that were being made here in Plymouth County were going over to Noah’s Hope and Humane Society, and they are full and at that time. They were getting full, and our animals needed to be taken care of in our county,” said Anderson, president of Wet-Nose Rescue.

The owner of the old hangar, Kyle Klein, agreed to renovate the building so that it’s climate-controlled and has enough room for a gift shop where more funds can be raised. Vice President Jason Roskilly has been a part of the organization for about a year and spoke on why he wanted to get involved.

“Yeah, it’s a passion of everyone on the board. We saw a need that we wanted to help out. We wanted to help these animals that don’t have anyone advocating for them, and so, we decided to band together. As soon as I heard about it, I jumped on board,” said Roskilly.

Santa and his friend Snowflake also made an appearance today to show off the new space and take pictures with furry friends, but Anderson said it may be until next spring before their service to the community can truly happen.

“I think we’re several months out yet. It depends on how the fundraising goes because we need things to stock it, kennels, fence. That’s going to be a big expense and then get everything up to regulation to get our state shelter license,” said Anderson.

Anderson says support from the Le Mars community has been fantastic with donations such as a $25,000 anonymous gift boosting their efforts.