Heaven Can Wait animal shelter saved from closing as donations pour in

A High River animal shelteris thanking the community for coming to its rescue.

With too many bills and not enough money, Heaven Can Wait was in danger of shutting down its shelter and kennel next month.

When Chauntelle MacLeod, a volunteer at the shelter heard, she started a GoFundMe page.

More than $85,000 has been raised by 850 people in just two days.

KimHessel, who has run the shelter for more than a decade,says she is shocked by the community response.

"Some people have donated $5, $10, some people have donated $4,000, it's incredible," says Hessel.

Hessel shelters more than 100 cats, dozens of dogs, and even some rabbits.

It costs thousands of dollars a month to keep it running.

"I was almost speechless, shocked, because it's huge ... I thought people would help a little bit for sure, but that level of support and how far it's gone, I didn't anticipate that at all."

The goal is to raise $100,000.

The shelter was a godsend for High Riverlocalsduring the 2013 flood, taking inmore than 700 animals at the height of the emergency everything from dogs and cats to lizards and hamsters.