A national animal shelter consulting firm last week released a needs assessment that calls for the construction of a 6,700 square foot building east of Houston to house lost and unwanted animals.
The report to The Animal Shelter of Texas County calls the need “urgent” for a structure with adequate animal-holding kennels. It is estimated that the shelter could handle as many as 1,000 to 1,250 animals annually at a tract acquired earlier by the organization on East Highway 17. About five acres of a 20-acre tract were cleared early, and the Watsonville, Calif., firm, Shelter Planners of America, says the site has excellent visibility with plenty room for expansion. Already, the local group is adopting about half of the projections, and is soliciting the public for funds to help with its endeavors.
The study calls on organizational leaders to work with the City of Houston and Texas County to develop ways to construct the facility. Currently, according to the report, two primitive pens or a local veterinarian’s kennels are used when strays are found.
The group has already applied to the Missouri Department of Economic Development under a program that gives state tax credits to donors.
“There is an urgent need to construct a new shelter with adequate animal-holding kennels,” according to the report. “Because of the present lack of a good shelter and attractive display housing for the adoptable animals, the task of returning animals to owners and adopting the unwanted is extremely difficult. A new, inviting shelter would greatly help adoptions and returns to owners in addition to improving animal control in the community and improving the safety of all citizens from roaming stray animals.”
The firm, which visited in the county earlier this year, recommends:
*Including eight double capacity “jumbo” dog runs, 12 single dog runs, two observation runs, three isolations runs, four pup pens and eight large runs for boarding animals. This would provide a total dog holding capacity of 37 plus the eight boarding runs.
*The cat room would contain 16 cages plus one cat community room holding eight cats and four isolation cages. These cages total a capacity of 28 cats.
*Seven primary areas are included in the building plan – public reception and sales of pet supplies; administrative areas including private office; public education areas such as classroom and meeting room; animal receiving, including areas for examinations and grooming; animal kennels for strays, adoptions and boarding; animal kennels for quarantine and observation; and a future clinic for spay and neuter, shelter animal care, emergencies a space for euthanasia.
The firm says the building includes the spaces normally needed for the proposed size shelter plus eight boarding kennels that would help generate operating funds. Under a proposed budget, the average cost per animal to operate is about $144 to $180, slightly less than the national average.
The report also calls on the group to:
*Spay or neuter before animals are turned over to new adopters. It says the adopter should pay the fee with perhaps the non-profit organization subsidizing part of it.
*Organize a community-wide effort to get all animals tagged. It says a free tag and collar program should be considered. “It is a fact that no lost animal arriving at the shelter with an ID tag will need to be put to sleep,” the needs assessment says.
Persons wanting to assist can contact the organization at P.O. Box 278, Houston, phone 417-967-0700 or check its Web site at www.tastc.com.