A Heartland thrift store is now open to help animals in need.  Patty’s Animal Thrift Store recently opened in Fairfield.   “It was started in honor of my dear friend Patty Miller who passed away in May of 2017 very unexpectedly,” said trustee Pam Brackenbury.

It was Patty’s love for animals that inspired the shop and its cause.  “Her parents were animal lovers, the whole family. She had a goose named Colonel when she was a very young girl. [She] spent her life taking care of strays and sick animals—anything that crossed her path. She was a volunteer at the Blank Park Zoo up in Des Moines where she lived. She could just never walk away from an animal in need,” she explained.

The proceeds that come from the merchandise sold will help animals directly.  “It’s going to go to groups in rural Iowa that are dedicated to animal rescue and a lot of these groups are very small and are struggling for funds and so we’ve decided to focus there,” Brackenbury said.

In the shop, you’ll find a variety of unique items like one-of-a-kind mugs and vintage toys.  “Patty had, like I said, a 50-year collection and part of it has already gone to auction, but we have a lot of stuff left, stuff in storage still even. We do have a vintage room here in the store,” said Brackenbury.

Despite its recent inauguration the shop has already started to help some animal rescue organizations.  “We were able to send $1,000 to Heartland Humane Society over in Ottumwa,” she said.  Patty’s Animal Thrift Store is located at 50 S. 9th St. across the Family Video store in Fairfield.  It is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Patty’s Animal Thrift Store accepts just about all kinds of donations that could be sold to save a defenseless animal in need.

Heartland residents have already donated items. Clothes, large appliances, furniture and toys are not accepted due to space limitations.