Official Groundbreaking for New Animal Shelter

TYLER — An official groundbreaking gives the public a look at Tyler’s new animal shelter on Chandler Highway, now under construction and set for completion next August. City Councilmember Don Warren says the new shelter will be great, but it’s about a lot more than a physical plant. He says it’s important to take care of animals and visit with citizens about best practices for pet ownership. Since ending its contract with the troubled Klein shelter in Jacksonville, Tyler’s been using a facility on Grande Boulevard. Warren says that facility is proving to be a great springboard for the new one. He cites 350 animals taken by nonprofits, 200 adopted, and 250 reclaimed by owners. And Warren says the new facility will do even more to address the chronic problem of animal control.

City officials say in December 2013, property at 4218 Chandler Highway was purchased for a permanent, city-owned animal care facility. The property, including ten acres of land and an 18,165-square-foot building, was purchased for $550,000. The new facility will be renovated in three phases to accommodate animal control, a holding facility, and adoptions with other possible future uses. Phase one of the renovation will encompass work on 15,006 square feet of the 18,165 total square feet. This will enable the animal shelter to accommodate a total of 73 dogs (for holding, isolation and display), 65 or more cats (for holding, isolation, and display) and an additional adoption visitation room.