By Angela Hatton
Madisonville, KY – The Hopkins County Fiscal Court has approved initial funding for a new animal shelter. The project is a part of significant changes following reports last year of poor shelter management. The Madisonville Messenger reports the court earmarked 115-thousand dollars of coal severance money to begin building. The new location will be on county-owned property near the Hopkins County jail. As part of new operations, the shelter will utilize inmate labor to keep down costs. The court has not yet set a start date for construction.