Volunteers with the Welfare for Animals Guild purchased the property at 751 McComb Road Tuesday, Sept. 30.

WAG officials have been working toward the purchase of a piece of property with the vision of turning it into the organization’s home-base for more than two years and felt they finally found the perfect place when the McComb Nursery went on the market.

Through the volunteers’ dedication to fundraise and with the help of an anonymous donation, the 2.33 acres was purchased by WAG for $365,000.

“This place has so much potential for us,” Barb Brabant, volunteer board member, said. “We are all so excited. It is going to be a true labor of love.”

WAG officials hope to have the property up and running by spring, but they also want to properly prepare given they need to meet all the conditions set the county’s hearing examiner Mark Nichols during their conditional use permitting process.

“We want to be good neighbors,” Judy Stirton, WAG president, said.

Since 2001, the non-profit all-dog rescue has been re-homing dogs through the use of foster homes and their prison program. Last year, WAG rescued 176 dogs, WAG treasurer Mary Ann Langan said.

WAG will continue to rely on foster homes and the prison program, but both are limited options, therefore the property now known as Half-Way Home Ranch will hopefully fill in the gaps, Langan explained.

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.welfare4animalsguild.org, call WAG officials at 460-6258 or e-mail welfare4animals@hotmail.com.