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By MICHELLE LOVE | Staff Writer

HELENA – Two by Two Animal Rescue has carved a special place in the hearts of the Shelby County community, and the organization now has a more concrete place to call home. The foster-based organization was gifted a 2.2-acre property by John Sellers, a member of Two by Two’s Board of Directors.

The property is located near Ross Bridge in Hoover, and will serve as a central location for the organization to situate animals awaiting foster parents and also as a storage area for necessary fostering supplies.

Two by Two’s Executive Director, Sonya King, said the property has already helped the rescue team so much.

“It means the world to us,” King said.  “It’s already brought a whole lot of peace of mind. It helps us be better organized, to have a central location to store supplies for our foster parents. For us to have a central location for all of the animals to go there, not to live, but to stay until the proper person can pick them up and take them where they need to go.”

Two by Two was formed in Helena, but they have spread their operations throughout the country in their lifespan.

“We have animals from off the street in over 30 states around the country,” King said.

Sellers, who is described by King as “an established member of the community,” has been on the Board for almost a year, and he noticed that the logistics of operating the rescue missions was more difficult than it needed to be.

“We’re a foster-based rescue, so we don’t have a facility, and he saw how hard the logistics were on us because we are receiving and taking in animals and everything had to either flow through our houses or our cars,” King explained. “We were meeting in public places to transfer animals to get them either to a vet or the foster home. [Sellers] found this property that was for sale and at a great price. He made the decision to purchase it for us, and we closed on it Oct. 15.”

Upon taking in an animal, Two by Two conducts an immediate assessment of the animal’s health and wellbeing to determine if the dog should go to the vet first or can go straight to their foster family. Having the property provides a space for the animals to get situated while the Two by Two team sorts out where they need to go. It also provides an ample amount of storage space for necessary supplies.

“We supply everything a foster home would need, so we supply food, the beds, crates, treats toys, linens, anything that they need,” King said. “So, this place allows us to use storage on the property to store the supplies, and the fosters can come to the storage buildings on their own schedule and get whatever supplies they need. It’s fantastic.”

They are also planning on moving administrative offices into the property, and while they have always worked with rescuing cats, the property will allow them to expand that part of the mission.

“We do cats on a much smaller basis, but now that we have this property, we’ll be able to help cats a little bit more,” King said.

King said there is no way they could possibly repay Sellers for his kindness and generosity, but as a thank you, they’re going to name the property “Sellers House of Love” to honor Sellers and his legacy in the community.

To donate to Two by Two, visit their website Twobytworescue.com or Venmo at @twobytworescue.