Sunday’s holiday open house at the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley may be the last one at that location.
Shelter officials used the open house to announce plans to build a new facility next to the existing one on Howes Cave Road in Howes Cave.
“It’s basically going to be a spay and neuter clinic surrounded by a new building,” said Shelter board President Mina Stella.
Spaying and neutering services are seen as critical to curbing the stray pet problem, she added. But the new building would also offer a surgery room, birthing kennel, recovery room, isolation areas, conference room and more.
Built about 20 years ago, the current shelter houses 35 dogs and more than 30 cats. Though it’s served its purpose, Ms. Stella said, the building has been added on to and is inefficient.
The current building, according to a Shelter statement, “is in such a state of disrepair that it is now more practical to build a new facility rather than put more money into a bad situation.”
The new building, Ms. Stella said, “wouldn’t be bigger, just more efficient.
“We’d be better able to take care of unwanted pets. It’s something this community desperately, desperately needs.”
Plans drawn by Finger Lakes Construction of Schenectady show working areas, dog and cat isolation room, the conference room and office in the front area and 30 pens for large and small dogs in back.
The cost is $350,000, and “that includes plumbing, heating, cages, everything,” Ms. Stella said.
The Shelter has $50,000 and is looking to the community for donations. Individuals and businesses can sponsor specific rooms or kennels in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
“We’d like it up in a year,” Ms. Stella said, though Vice President Connie Spaulding added that the Shelter’s planned for three years.
Meanwhile, the Shelter will continue to operate in its current building.
“We won’t stop,” Ms. Spaulding said.
When the new building is finished, the existing one will be an open-air storage area.
To donate, checks can be made payable to ASSV building fund and mailed to ASSV, PO Box 40, Howes Cave, 12092.
For more information, call the Shelter at 234-2709 or email at animalshelterofschoharievalley@verizon.net.