Community members come to us for many reasons, from joyful to stressful and difficult. People visit to:
- Adopt or meet an animal needing a new home.
- Reclaim a lost pet.
- Look for resources for animals they can no longer care for.
- Drop off a stray or injured animal they found.
- Pick up a foster animal.
- Volunteer their time.
- Respond to a notice or enforcement action.
- Get or renew a pet license.
We also receive visits from rescue organizations and animal care agencies we partner with.
In 2025, we cared for 7,163 domestic animals. This work is demanding and complex. We do it in a building that often makes it harder than it needs to be.
The current facility was built in 1968 as a sheriff’s office, then altered into what was then called a “dog pound”. Animal sheltering has changed since then, from how animals are housed and cared for, to how staff operate to what is expected from a public facility. The demand for our services is growing, which puts more pressure on a facility that was not designed for today’s needs.
This project will not only replace the old shelter. It is an opportunity to better support animal care, public service, staff and volunteer work, and the community’s long-term needs.