Hollister
– San Benito County’s stray animals may soon be moving to a
bigger home.
Hollister – San Benito County’s stray animals may soon be moving to a bigger home.
According to David Rubcic of Hollister’s engineering department, the city could open a new animal shelter as soon as spring of 2008. The new shelter would be five times the size of the existing facility.
Animal Control supervisor Julie Carreiro said she’s “ecstatic” that the shelter is moving. The new facility, she said, will provide a warmer, cleaner space for the animals.
“It’ll help the staff, who are all crammed in here,” Carreiro said. She also said the public will benefit from the larger facility when visiting the shelter.
The project is currently in the design phase. On Tuesday, Hollister’s Redevelopment Agency approved contracts with ME Engineering Co. and architect John Eldo Brown to provide the shelter’s engineering and architecture. Together, the contracts are worth $94,000. Construction of the building itself is estimated to cost around $1.4 million.
The 1,400-square-foot animal shelter houses stray and lost animals found throughout both Hollister and San Benito County, which contracts with the city for shelter service.
During a normal year, 3,500 animals will stay in the shelter. During the summer, Carreiro said, the shelter often approaches capacity, housing some 200 animals per day.
The shelter is currently located at the end of South Street, near Hollister’s sewage treatment plant and ponds.
“We need to get the staff away from the ponds and move them toward a more friendly work environment,” Mayor Brad Pike said.
The city plans to build a new, 7,800-square-foot shelter adjacent to its public works operations yard on South Street. Pike said he’s happy that the animal shelter won’t be moving too far; he also thinks it was smart for the city to use land it already owns.
But that doesn’t mean Pike believes South Street is the ideal location. “I wish it was near the police department,” he said.
The city originally considered a location next to the Hollister Police Department and even purchased an existing building, but it scrapped those plans after costs kept rising.
Anthony Ha covers local government for the Free Lance. Reach him at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or [email protected].
