With Rochester Zoning Board of Appeals approval secured, owners of It’s All About the Animals, Pam and Oren Robinson, are moving ahead with plans to have their shelter designated as a nonprofit organization.

Last week, the Zoning Board granted the Robinsons a special permit needed to become a federal nonprofit, which in turn, allows the husband and wife duo to seek grants and accept tax-deductible donations to help fund the shelter.

Because Rochester has no bylaws in governing animal shelters, the Robinsons needed the special permit from the Zoning Board to ensure “the shelter was operating properly,” Oren Robinson said.

Now, the Robinsons have to submit the special permit to the Internal Revenue Service to be designated as a nonprofit, which the couple hopes will happen in the next few weeks.

Since first opening the shelter in 2009, Robinson said it has been his and his wife’s goal to help the local animal population.

“We adopted animals from other shelters. We were helping animals but it didn’t seem like we were helping enough,” Robinson said.

“We applied for the special permit because we want to continue to run it well and take care of the animals.”

The shelter, which has been privately funded by the Robinsons, is run with the help of volunteers.

Now that the business is eligible for donations and grants, Robinson said he hopes to use any funds the couple can secure to maintain the shelter and its equipment.

Several neighbors of the shelter came to the Zoning Board meeting last week to voice their support of the Robinsons.

Of the support, Robinson said he was pleased. “We try to be a friendly neighbor,” Robinson said. “I guess we’re not creating a disturbance, but then again, cats don’t create much noise.”

The shelter can “comfortably” house 40 animals, most of which are cats and kittens. In the last year, the Robinsons have adopted out more than 80 animals.

“This is what we do,” Robinson said. “It’s part of rescuing animals.”