Last Thursday, in the County Administrator’s conference room,
anticipation filled every seat at the large table. Represented was a full spectrum of
stakeholders there to evaluate preliminary concepts for the new Aiken County
Animal Shelter from multiple perspectives.
The architects had assimilated data from numerous site
visits and meetings with shelter staff, volunteers, County Council and FOTAS
representatives. They had taken into
account severe budget constraints as well as the realities of animal numbers,
program demands, and the cultural pride of the Aiken County Community.
They had researched the most cost-effective options in the
field of animal holding facilities.
They were armed with the facts: what works; what constitutes a balance
of efficiency and effectiveness; and how those options might converge in a
wonderfully practical community animal shelter; no doubt, the last one that
Aiken County will see in the lifetimes of those present.
Every perspective imaginable was represented around the
table. There were a variety of
engineers, lawyers, project managers, public servants, farmers, city folk,
dreamers and those with their feet firmly planted on planet Earth, and the
architects.
The group addressed a creative challenge: to take all of the
images and information, and then endorse a response to the stark choice facing
the Aiken County community’s approach to animal control.
If you look at last month’s figures (“By the Numbers”), the
seriousness of this issue is apparent.
With the exception of feral cats, all animals coming into the shelter
must be held for five days. The shelter
was designed to hold 100 animals and 623 came in. With those numbers, humane obligations like
segregation for vicious animals or quarantine for sick animals become a
sardonic joke.
Therefore, the factors driving the choice of design concept
for the new County Animal Shelter were:
·
Will it be able to humanely address the county’s
animal control obligations?
·
Can staffing level operate it effectively?
·
Is the design the most efficient to operate
(i.e. utilities and work-flow)?
·
Will it enable necessary program support (spay/neuter,
foster, transfer, volunteer)?
·
Will the Aiken County Community embrace it and
get involved?
·
Can we afford it?
Thirteen people stayed in the room for three hours
discussing the alternatives from these perspectives. The final decision was unanimous, because it
was the best decision. This team,
working together, taking a phased approach, can squeeze a dream out of reality.
Established fact says that if you build a basic, humane,
public shelter, the animals will be more adoptable and the community will be
more involved in their care.
Our new public shelter is blessed with a lovely tree-filled
site, big enough for walking trails, park benches and ball-tosses. Mother Nature will assist with shade, fresh
air and sunlight for a variety of spaces in the “Phase I” design.
We will start with the bare essentials and build from
there. One day, the Aiken County Animal
Shelter will be a place where all the two- and four-legged creatures that can,
leave better than when they arrived.
FOTAS Volunteers work with
the AIKEN COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER, 411 Wire Road.
For more information, contact “info@fotasaiken.org” or visit FOTAS on
line at www.fotasaiken.org
Aiken County Animal Shelter: “By the Numbers - May 2012”
Citizen
drop-off: 209 cats & 182 dogs
Officer
pick-ups: 73 cats & 149 dogs
Adoptions/
Transfers: 26 cats & 35/45 dogs
Euthanized: 294
cats and 264 dogs or 91%!!!
 |
| SASHA- gorgeous ragdoll. Young, spayed and yours for only $35! |
Half-Price Special goes until July 7th!
 |
| WILMA- 2 yrs. Big, affectionate and a great watch dog! Half-price at $35! Take her home! |
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Your comments and input are always welcome. We appreciate any suggestions or thoughts that will help FOTAS with their goal to help the Aiken County Animal Shelter become a happy, healthy place that never has to euthanize an adoptable pet.