SALEM — The Salem Animal Rescue League could move to a farm on Brady Avenue within one or two years, provided everything goes its way, according to Valorie Hayes, who is in charge of communications for the shelter.

The relocation would mean going to high and dry ground, and leaving behind the flood-prone site, which the 17-year-old organization shares with the town dog pound on SARL Way behind Route 28.

But planning for the new facility is still in the very early stages, and hurdles remain, including raising the money to pay for the construction and overcoming neighborhood opposition. So far, the shelter has raised $500,000, including pledges, but needs $1.5 million to complete the first phase, shelter Development Director Ray Denis said. The complex will require two construction phases and cost $3 million, he said.

As a result, the same week the Planning Board was looking at ideas for the Brady Avenue proposal, the shelter was making do on SARL Way by opening another refurbished trailer. It will be used as a place where dogs in need of adoption can meet their prospective owners.

Bernard's Place, as the refurbished trailer is called, was officially put into service Thursday. Named in memory of a dog named Bernard, who was adopted from the shelter, the new modular unit brings the number of trailers on the site to three. One trailer is called Kitty City, where sheltered cats and kittens stay, and the third is a medical trailer, where veterinary operations are performed.

Although the trailers are temporary until the shelter can relocate to the new complex, there was a pressing space need, Hayes said. The shelter honors the town's standing request that the public not enter the town-owned kennel, due to potential liability issues.

But that's meant people had to stand outdoors — sometimes in inclement weather — to look at dogs available for adoption. The new trailer provides an indoor space, which also can be used for dog training and other community-oriented meetings. It's being named after a dog whose owners made a major contribution to retrofit the trailer, Hayes said. Several businesses, including The Home Depot and Raytheon, contributed goods and services.

SARL is in informal talks with the Planning Board about moving to the 26-acre farm on Brady Avenue.

"The formal review process has not started yet," Town Planner Ross Moldoff said. "They've come to the Planning Board for conceptual discussions to flush out some of the issues in advance before they do the engineering and spend money."

The second meeting was this week, and they will meet again next month.

Moldoff said the shelter is controversial because some of the neighbors are opposed.

"They don't want an animal shelter near their property," he said. "They feel the shelter will devalue their property."

And there have been questions about noise and odors.

"So we've got a bit of a balancing act," he said to make sure the shelter doesn't change the established character of the area.

Moldoff said the area is zoned a rural district and kennels are allowed, provided the property encompasses at least two acres. The farm, which SARL now owns thanks to a donation, has more than 20 acres, but the conceptual plans indicate the shelter will be built on three-quarters of an acre near the road. Moldoff said that could pose a problem, although it's premature to say yet.

"It's a commercial use," he said. "Nobody would say it's residential. You have people coming and going, and it's not an office building. It's animals. How are they going to dispose of the waste?"

Moldoff said the shelter answered some of those questions.

One of the abutters, Terry Perrino of 70 Brady Ave., said he doesn't want the shelter at the Brady Avenue site.

"They're a wonderful organization," he said. "I've donated to them. But you see how nice this is," he said, gesturing at his lawn and garden. "This is mine. I don't need a dog kennel next to it."

Perrino's yard abuts a golf driving range and sits across the street from a golf course and Turner's Dairy. Although these businesses also are commercial uses, he said the shelter is different because it would be new. He knew the dairy, the golf course and the driving range were next to him before he bought his property, he said.

Hayes said SARL is taking the residents' objections to heart and wants to be a good neighbor.

"We're totally willing to work around any of the plans as would help the neighbors," she said. "We are part of the community, too."

How to help

The Shelter and Adoption Center Capital Giving Campaign has opportunities to name gifts after loved ones for as little as $500 for a cat crate up to $150,000 for a wing of the Dog Adoption Center, Hayes said. Call the development office at 893-3117 or e-mail SARLdevelopment@aol.com for more information.

The shelter is at 4 SARL Drive in Salem. The Web site is www.sarl-nh.org, and the telephone number is 890-2166.