The Animal Shelter of Pell City has a new website.

“We hope this new website will increase public awareness of who we are and how we affect our community,” said Melissa Hull, shelter manager.

The new website is www.stclairanimalshelter.org.

Hull said in the fall of last year, the ASPCI sent in a grant application to the University of Alabama Academic Affairs for consideration to participate in their Virtual Advantage: Developing Websites for Alabama Nonprofits.

“This program was designed to provide nonprofits with a web presence, which is so crucial in our times, as well as give the UA students practical experience for use in their future careers,” she said. “We were one of four organizations chosen in early November.”

Hull said another St. Clair County nonprofit, the St. Clair Children’s Advocacy Center, was also chosen.

“Work began mid-January and the students immediately set to work researching how to best develop a web presence for the Animal Shelter of Pell City Inc.,” she said.

Hull said the students involved are Hunter Langston, Taylor McGuire and Je-Young Oh.

“In conjunction with the ASPCI staff and board, the website began to evolve,” she said. “After four months, representatives of the ASPCI were invited to a formal presentation of their new website on the university campus.”

Hull said the new website allows ASPCI followers to view adoptable pets, download applications, get information on opportunities such as volunteering or employment, plan for upcoming events, have access to the ASPCI online newspaper and SNAP information for those needing assistance with spay or neutering. Donors will also find the ASPCI Wish List and be able to make donations to the shelter through Paypal.

“We hope to further expand the website by including Feature Pets, segments such as Ask the Vet, animal care tips and other helpful, entertaining categories and features,” she said. “Most importantly, we hope to continue to increase our adoptions by further promoting the wonderful pets that are in our care. We are very excited to have been given this opportunity and cannot wait for everyone to know that our website is ready to be visited.”

Contact Elsie Hodnett at ehodnett@dailyhome.com.