Animal impound nears completion
City and county officials toured the Bay City-Matagorda County Animal Impound Facility Friday and will finalize operating procedures for the joint facility and begin training next week.
'We will have a meeting early next week with city and county animal control officers to set operating guidelines,' Mayor Richard Knapik said during Friday's tour.
'We want to operate as a cohesive unit.'
Animal Control Officers working with Bay City Police Department and the County Environmental Services Department will get training on equipment and computer systems at the facility beginning next week.
Additional workers currently stationed at the city's water treatment plant will be trained and certified in animal shelter operations beginning in July, Young said.
Public Works Director Clark Young designed and oversaw construction of the facility.
A two-story row of 40 dog cages can house 80 dogs per week, Young said.
Depending on the breed, size and temperament of dogs being held, some cages could hold more than two dogs and would increase the facility's capacity.
'We'll just have to wait and see how many dogs are out there that we'll have to handle,' Young said.
Work crews will complete installation of the 20 cages on the second story of the dog run next week, Young said.
The cat room currently has 12 cages and space is available for additional cages.
Cages are divided by a weighted pulley system which allows impound staff to move animals to one side of the cage during cleaning.
Food and water bowls are attached to the cage door which allowing caregivers to feed animals efficiently cannot be turned over by pen occupants.
The floor of each kennel is covered by a cross-hatched yellow mat that allows water to drain.
The cages drain into a flushing system that will continuously remove animal waste into the city's sanitary sewer system, Young said.
Young also pointed out black boxes mounted on the wall that will use an ultrasonic system to control barking.
The ventilation system completely exchanges the air in the impound facility every six minutes.
'Every molecule of air down to six microns is removed through an activated charcoal filtration system,' Young said.
'That's not a state requirement, that's a best practices recommendation from the health department.'
Other features were designed into the facility to help protect the health of the animals being detained and the workers who care for them.
Young pointed out the walls are made of Hardiplank fiber cement siding ' as opposed to drywall material that is vulnerable to moisture and can trap odors ' and trimmed with a concrete/plastic composite that resists bacterial growth.
The floors are covered with a restaurant-grade epoxy armor seal to control bacteria, Young said.
Separate rooms will be used to quarantine cats and dogs who are suspected of rabies or other health concerns, Young said.
A wireless computer network is installed both for facility security and to assist pet owners reclaiming their animals, Young said.
City Information Technology Director Doug Goodman demonstrated how animal control officers will use digital cameras to photograph all incoming animals and post the photo and information on a web site.
If the owner sees their pet on the web site, they can call the impound facility and place a hold on the animal and make arrangements to reclaim it, Goodman said.
'This may not be a big deal for people who live in Bay City, but since this is also a county facility it will save residents from outlying parts of the county from having to drive here just to find out their dog isn't here,' Goodman said.
Kennel cards will be kept on all animals, Goodman said. Impound facility staff will use an air panel ' a portable computer smaller than a laptop ' to track information on animal care and feeding.
The kennel card includes a description of the animal, license and vaccination data and whether a microchip was detected. Details on how the animal was fed and cared for and where it was picked up will be logged on the kennel card and it will be available to the pet owner when the animal is reclaimed.
Knapik said the web site address will be publicized when it is complete and the impound facility opens.
Security features at the facility include a motion-activated camera system, Goodman said during the tour.
One concern expressed during facility planning was that someone might attempt to break into the facility to reclaim an animal.
Motion at any of several likely entry points will trigger the system to make a 15-second recording, Goodman said. Up to 30 days of recordings can be stored on the system.
Young said the construction budget for the facility was $71,000 with an additional $12,000 in start-up costs such as supplies and equipment.
'I believe we've stayed within that,' Young said.
The city and county will split construction and operating costs, an estimated $33,300 per year. The county has agreed in principle to fund 44 percent of the project. Commissioners will vote on an interlocal agreement during their Monday meeting.
Goodman added that the ShelterPro software installed at the facility help officials track finances, licensing information as well as monitor locations where ACOs have set traps or captured animals to identify trouble spots.
Dog Training
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