Humane Society moves into new front office building
EL CENTRO — The small, cramped reception area at the Humane Society of Imperial County on West Pico Avenue is now a thing of the past.
The Humane Society recently acquired a new modular building from the city of El Centro that it will be using as a reception space to receive and serve clients.
The building sits just outside the entrance of animal shelter. Prior to the construction of the building, clients walked in to a reception area at the shelter and conducted business there.
Humane Society of Imperial County Executive Director Devon Apodaca recalled that animals were all around this old reception area — either in cages along the wall or stacked up on organized shelves.
This made many clients feel overwhelmed, as there were animals all around as soon as they stepped into the area, he said.
Now, clients will go to the modular building, and, depending on what they need — pay for micro chipping, make a donation, adopt an animal, etc. — they will either remain in the building or be walked over to the shelter.
“This is to make things more efficient and to make things more comfortable for the staff and customers,” he said.
In March, the El Centro City Council unanimously approved repurposing $375,000 in Measure P funds for the purchase and installation of the 1,440-square-foot modular building.
The building was installed about two weeks ago. The city provided keys to the modular to the Humane Society on
Aug. 20, El Centro community services director Adriana C. Nava said.
On Friday afternoon, Apodaca and shelter staff member Erik Felix worked to move in the first pieces of furniture — all of which were donated by the community
— into the building.
No animals will be kept inside the modular unit. The old reception area at the shelter will now be used as additional space for animals.
In addition to being a reception area, the modular unit will also be used as office space.
The new building has four offices, which Apodaca and the Humane Society 14 other staff members will work out of.
Previously, staff has worked in an open space area in the shelter.
“I’ve never had my own office before,” Apodaca, who is in his sixth year as director (13th year overall) with the Humane Society, said.
The Humane Society operates on a yearly budget made up mostly of private donations and revenue from the cities that use the shelter as a city pound.
Apodaca said that he, the non-profit’s board of directors and its staff are extremely appreciative of the city for providing the building.
“We’ve been wanting something like this for so long,” he said.
In addition to the building, the city also paved the road leading up to the shelter, and created a small parking lot in front of the modular building.
Previously, the road was unpaved and the shelter had unmarked, dirt parking spaces.
The parking lot to the adjacent Carlos Aguilar Memorial Park can also be used by Humane Society clients.
Apodaca said he and his board haven’t discussed whether there will be an open housetype event for the new building.
It is estimated the Humane Society will be moved in and operating in the modular unit sometime between September and October.