NORTON - The groundbreaking of Norton's new animal shelter will give some people pause because there won't be a shovel on hand.

"I think they've decided to do cat scoops instead, which I think is a nice touch," Nine Lives of Norton Feline Rescue Shelter volunteer treasurer Thomas Burke said.

The dedication is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. July 8 on vacant town land on Hill Street, facing the current animal shelter.

Contractors have poured foundation walls and dug holes for the new handicapped-accessible facility, Burke said.

The nonprofit Nine Lives group has raised $170,000 toward the $200,000 needed to build and furnish the building, Burke said. The Mansfield Bank Charitable Foundation has agreed to donate $5,000, he said. Volunteers also are donating labor.

Construction should finish by Dec. 31, Burke said.

Norton rents Nine Lives, the former Jackson Nursery greenhouse/potting shed on Route 123. However, that building isn't adequate to handle Nine Lives' growing population, Burke said.