One hundred forty nine Western Arizona Humane Society shelter guests — including 61 dogs, 76 cats and 12 others — were presented with a cool donation Monday after members of the business community arranged for a new air conditioning unit.

Jayne Hanson/News-Herald Photo Kathy Hodel, who is a Western Arizona Humane Society supporter at large, talks with All American Air general manager Gary Hagen Monday about how the duct system will work together with a new cooling unit to cool the back building at the local animal shelter.

The building the unit was selected for was previously cooled by swamp cooler.

“It is like a steam bath in there during high humidity, and I am not covered in fur. I realized the animals were not comfortable in here and I haven’t slept since,” said WAHS supporter-at-large Kathy Hodel.

The structure in question houses strays and quarantines who are waiting with hope of being deemed an adoptable pet.

Hodel set out on a mission giving voice to the shelter guests in order to ask the community to respond to their needs. She was soon directed to All American Air general manager Gary Hagen.

Hagen made a call to Carrier, a heating and air conditioning unit manufacturer, explaining the conditions of the swamp-cooled animals and recent uncomfortable humidity.

“Kathy’s compassion for the animals rubbed off on me,” Hagen said. Carrier agreed to pay for half the unit and All American Air co-owners Larry Gibosn and Dean Samons picked up the other half of the cost. In all, the donation is valued at $3,000 and the unit is capable of cooling or heating 1,200 square feet, according to Hagen.

Canyon State Crane Service owners Robert and Leslie Pomenich donated the crane service to hoist the new unit into place.

“We are locally-owned and operated and it is nice to be able to give back to our community,” Leslie Pomenich said.

Sam Nichols Electric owner Dave McAtlin donated duct and electrical services to support the unit. And Havasu citizen Don Hodel Jr., donated his construction expertise to ready the site for the installation.

“It is a blessing to have (the new unit). Without it, the animals were suffering,” said WAHS kennel technician Trevonne Wilson. “We did what we could with misters, but this (new system) is a real blessing,” he said.

WAHS Director Victoria Cowper is well aware the new heating/cooling system could increase operating costs at the shelter.

“We did study up on how to offset those costs. We have our Dog Jars to help offset those costs,” Cowper said.

The WAHS Dog Jar collection campaign was recently launched and the small clear plastic doghouses are currently in 22 local businesses as of Monday. Cowper is seeking high-traffic businesses such as salons, retail shops, dry cleaning shop, or the like, who would be willing to place a Dog Jar on the counter of their business to help drum up donations.

Furthermore, WAHS is in need of volunteers of all types. It is looking for volunteers for the upcoming Duck Derby fundraiser; a Dog Jar campaign manager who will distribute, monitor and collect the donations; and shelter volunteers to do office-type tasks or volunteers to work directly with the animals.

For more information about how to obtain a Dog Jar for a business or to be a WAHS volunteer contact the shelter 928-855-5083. The shelter is located at 1100 Empire Drive in Havasu.

“Adoptions are fabulous,” Cowper said, “But (different) animals are coming in at about the same rate they are being adopted.”

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.