It’s out with the old and in with new renovations at the Tallahassee Animal Services Center. Dozens of dogs wag their tails behind kennel doors as volunteers and staff await the completion this fall of a $3.8 million project, while currently seeking adoptions for 76 dogs and puppies.
The project consists of three main components: building outdoor “sunshine yards,” revamping the dog adoption area, and introducing a makeover of the veterinary suite. The completed sunshine yards are designed to provide dogs with extended outdoor time for play and relaxation. Additionally, new kennels have been added to the adoption wing.
Grayson Walters, assistant director of Tallahassee Animal Services, assures the project is progressing on time and within budget: “We are on track with our renovations,” Walters told the Tallahassee Democrat. “The sunshine yards are already completed, and the dog adoption area is on track to finish probably late this summer.”
“The veterinary suite is coming along amazingly. They’ve done all the lighting, all the flooring, and we’re really putting the finishing touches in there as well. So we’re super excited. It’s going to be an amazing improvement at the shelter.”
The enhancements inside the facility will include features such as sound-absorbing panels to decrease the sounds of barking, redesigned kennels to lower stress among dogs, and integrated cleaning systems to enhance safety and efficiency for staff.
Construction is being managed by OmniCon Corp., based in Tallahassee. The $3.8 million project is funded by Blueprint and overseen by the city, which owns and operates the center at 1121 Easterwood Drive.
Although the shelter isn’t at full capacity, Walters said the number of dogs coming in is consistent. By Friday morning, there were 58 dogs awaiting adoption, and 18 more housed in foster homes.
“We are not over capacity currently,” Walters said. “That’s due to us working super hard to manage those intakes of animals and increase adoptions as much as we can.”
Lauren Perlman, a Tallahassee native and volunteer of 16 years, has witnessed the impact of consistent care on shelter dogs. She began her journey by helping her wife capture photographs for the shelter’s website. Since then, she’s become involved with assisting daily enrichment, walking dogs, leading playgroups, and helping to match dogs with potential adopters.
Perlman mentioned that while construction is still underway, throughout the process, volunteers have been maintaining enrichment activities, while the public has stepped up to foster new pets to decrease overcrowding. She commended the shelter’s use of temporary kennels placed onsite and appreciated the city’s commitment to making a long-term impact by adding enhancements.
“The makeover of the adoption ward is going to be huge. They’re going to have the sound baffles, it’s going to be much quieter,” Perlman said. “It’s going to make the quality of life for the dogs so much better, and for the people walking through, their experience is going to be so much different.”
Perlman, who is also a board member of the Animal Shelter Foundation, reflects on the commitments a dog can make in people’s lives. She recounts a success story involving a neglected small dog named Dan, who was brought to the shelter many years ago with badly infected paws. Following six months of treatment and prosthetic surgery supported by the foundation, Dan was adopted and is now doing well in his new home.
“We have people all over the country that have adopted here, and you know they make lifelong commitments and move wherever they are and care for the dogs,” she said.
For anyone hesitant to get involved, the animal shelter encourages the public to join their volunteer program. The smallest gestures matter the most, such as walking a dog, sweeping floors or simply visiting to learn more about the operation.
Community event scheduled
How much does it cost to adopt an animal?
Tallahassee Democrat writer Joel Mitchell can be reached at jmitchell@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee animal shelter renovation nears finish; dogs await adoption
Reporting by Joel Mitchell, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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