County, cities break ground on new animal shelter
Dec 10, 2009 | 775 views | 2 
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Stanislaus County and five partnering cities, including Patterson, broke ground on a 33,535-square-foot animal shelter this week, marking the start of construction for the long-awaited facility.
The near $8 million shelter — which will be located west of Ceres, at Crows Landing Road and Cornucopia Way — will serve the cities of Patterson, Modesto, Ceres, Waterford and Hughson, which all pitched in to build it.
The shelter — expected to open in December 2010 — is expected to help the county handle its notoriously large numbers of unwanted animals, replacing the undersized, deteriorating, 37-year-old shelter near the airport in Modesto.
“Today is a day to recognize a big milestone in our community, and a new era of collaboration,” Supervisor Jim DeMartini said Tuesday, Dec. 8, during the ceremony. “This new facility will ensure our animals have a humane and safe place to go, and that there is a welcoming place for member of the public to find their new pet.”
The facility will also be the first of its kind in California built by the government to combine a shelter with a private sterilization clinic. The clinic — run by local nonprofit Stanislaus Area Vets for the Economically Disadvantaged — will offer low-cost spay and neuter services to the shelter and the community.
“We’re really hoping this will reduce the number of animals coming into our shelter,” said Annette Patton, director of the county’s Animal Services Department. “Around our area, there isn’t enough spaying and neutering going on, especially with cats.
“That is ultimately where we will have the biggest impact on the number of animals we receive in the future, so it’s important people take advantage of the new services to help the problem before it happens.”
Patton said 21,829 animals came into the pound at Finch and Mitchell roads in the past year, with cats accounting for nearly half of that number. About 14,203 of those animals were euthanized — with many, but not all, due to a lack of space at the facility.
“Overcrowding at the shelter has been an issue ever since before I came here, which has been for at least the last three years,” Patton said. “We’re just completely filled. The shelter was built to house about 260 animals, and we’ve got more than 400.
“Right now, we also have at least 10 animals per cage, while the new shelter will hold closer to 500 animals and hold about two to three per cage.”
Officials, however, warned that the new shelter would not be the only solution in solving the county’s animal population problem.
“The new shelter will not do the job alone,” said Dave Cerruti, chairman of the county’s Animal Advisory Board. “We need to expand not only the facilities, but also our education to the community.
“The opportunities open to us are numerous.”
• Contact Kendall Wright at 892-6187 or kendall@pattersonirrigator.com.
The near $8 million shelter — which will be located west of Ceres, at Crows Landing Road and Cornucopia Way — will serve the cities of Patterson, Modesto, Ceres, Waterford and Hughson, which all pitched in to build it.
The shelter — expected to open in December 2010 — is expected to help the county handle its notoriously large numbers of unwanted animals, replacing the undersized, deteriorating, 37-year-old shelter near the airport in Modesto.
“Today is a day to recognize a big milestone in our community, and a new era of collaboration,” Supervisor Jim DeMartini said Tuesday, Dec. 8, during the ceremony. “This new facility will ensure our animals have a humane and safe place to go, and that there is a welcoming place for member of the public to find their new pet.”
The facility will also be the first of its kind in California built by the government to combine a shelter with a private sterilization clinic. The clinic — run by local nonprofit Stanislaus Area Vets for the Economically Disadvantaged — will offer low-cost spay and neuter services to the shelter and the community.
“We’re really hoping this will reduce the number of animals coming into our shelter,” said Annette Patton, director of the county’s Animal Services Department. “Around our area, there isn’t enough spaying and neutering going on, especially with cats.
“That is ultimately where we will have the biggest impact on the number of animals we receive in the future, so it’s important people take advantage of the new services to help the problem before it happens.”
Patton said 21,829 animals came into the pound at Finch and Mitchell roads in the past year, with cats accounting for nearly half of that number. About 14,203 of those animals were euthanized — with many, but not all, due to a lack of space at the facility.
“Overcrowding at the shelter has been an issue ever since before I came here, which has been for at least the last three years,” Patton said. “We’re just completely filled. The shelter was built to house about 260 animals, and we’ve got more than 400.
“Right now, we also have at least 10 animals per cage, while the new shelter will hold closer to 500 animals and hold about two to three per cage.”
Officials, however, warned that the new shelter would not be the only solution in solving the county’s animal population problem.
“The new shelter will not do the job alone,” said Dave Cerruti, chairman of the county’s Animal Advisory Board. “We need to expand not only the facilities, but also our education to the community.
“The opportunities open to us are numerous.”
• Contact Kendall Wright at 892-6187 or kendall@pattersonirrigator.com.
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Since were on the subject of "humane" treatment......Does anyone know how many ob/gyns are here in town??? If you are a man you may or may not understand..but if you are a female young or old you know what I'm talking about. Whats up with a Woman"s Center or Birthing Center????
What is humane about killing innocent animals? The Humane Society is only humane in one area - when they rescue abused or neglected animals.
Regardless of how many times a day I see that awful Humane Society commercial on Fox I would never give them a dime. And I am an animal lover and spend thousand's a year on mine pets.