NATCHEZ — After a six-month hiatus due to the economy, the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society Building Fund effort is back on.

Chair of the building fund Vidal Davis said the drive to raise $750,000 for a new humane shelter took a breather when economic woes surfaced in late 2008.

“We felt it was such a terrible time to do it,” he said.

And while the economy isn’t back to full strength, Davis said the animals are still in need, and it’s time to reinvigorate the effort.

“We’re going to forge ahead,” Davis said. “The need hasn’t changed — there’s still a critical need for a new shelter.”

Mold, leaks and cracked and crumbling walls are just a few issues with the current shelter.

“There’s no room for any animals,” Davis said. “We’re continuing to take them. We’re so overcrowded.”

The plans are to build a new shelter on a four-acre patch of land on Col. John Pitchford Parkway, and the goal is to raise $750,000.

“It’s state of the art,” he said of the designed facility. “We’ve gotten ideas from shelters all over the country and tried to put them into one meat-and-potatoes facility.”

Currently, the building fund has $238,000, Davis said.

The fundraiser that most recently kicked off the building effort again was at Bowie’s Tavern March 28.

Cover charge and proceeds from the six-band line up went toward the building fund, and it was a successful evening, Davis said.

“We successfully raised around $4,500 in one night, which we thought was really good,” he said.

But the goal is still out of reach.

While Davis said it’s unnecessary to get all $750,000 in funds to begin construction, he would like to at least raise $500,000.

Davis said he knows the money will be raised and the building will be constructed.

“We’ll get there. I’m convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt,” he said.

Donations can be made to the Humane Society Building Fund, P.O. Box 332, Natchez, MS 39121.