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Georgetown man leaves $143,000 to Williamson County animal shelter in will

Part of the donation will be used to help sick newborn kittens that typically fill the animal shelter during the spring and summer.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — A Georgetown resident left $142,800 to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in his will, according to a report by KVUE's news partners at the Austin American-Statesman. 

WCRAS Animal Services Director Misty Valenta said the donation is one of the largest the shelter has received in the past decade. 

"It was an absolute shock," Valenta told the Statesman. 

Valenta said Walinski and his wife had previously talked to staff about leaving money to the facility, but never revealed an amount. The donation will be used to help sick newborn kittens that typically fill the animal shelter during the spring and summer, Valenta told the Statesman. 

Then, the money will be used on the animals whose lives are most at risk.

Walinski died of COVID-19 in 2020 at the age of 75, the Statesman said. He died three weeks after getting a kidney transplant, his sister Sandy Jessup told the Statesman. His wife died of breast cancer in 2015. 

During their lives, Walinski and his wife adopted three cats from the shelter and brought in stray cats to the facility. The couple saw the shelter's previous director increase the rate of saving animals and wanted to support that work, Valenta said. 

Read the full report by the Austin American-Statesman here.

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