Suburban shelter adds climate-controlled cages
Climate-controlled cages will soon be added to two trucks at Montgomery County’s animal shelter, but not before one leader first questioned the organization’s increasing budget.
While the court unanimously voted Jan. 24 to advertise for cages for two recently purchased trucks, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack questioned the increasing costs to run the shelter. The county has budgeted $4,200 for the cages.
“I love that you are making headway over at the animal shelter, but that is one of the budgets that has grown more than any budget in the county since I’ve been here,” Noack said, who took office in 2013. “We spend more on protecting animals in Montgomery County than we do children.”
Since 2017, the shelter’s budget has increased to $5.5 million from $3.7 million.
In October, commissioners appointed County Judge Mark Keough to head up shelter operations and work with shelter Director Aaron Johnson and Assistant Director Mark Wysocki on revamping policy and procedures amid complaints about conditions at the aging facility. Commissioners also approved a needs assessment study by Houston-based PGAL Inc. for the shelter.
Keough said spending the funds is necessary to ensure the shelter can manage the number of animals that come in daily as the county grows.
Built in 2002, the 152,469square-foot facility at 8535 Texas 242 has a capacity of 180 but typically has nearly 300 animals daily.
“We are still operating with cages that don’t have air conditioning or heating in them,” Keough said. “Granted, they are animals, but we are humane and we have started this process.”
Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Walker said air conditioning is critical for the enclosed cages.
“The air conditioning is a must because a lot of the animals they pick up are in poor condition — if they put them in a hot box, if you will, they may not make it back to the shelter,” Walker said.
Currently, the shelter has 10 trucks, four of which need the new air-conditioned cages, said Jason Millsaps, chief of staff for Keough.
“You told me to take charge of this deal and I have taken charge of it,” Keough said. “We are doing our best not to have to come and ask for a new and better shelter.”
Noack questioned why a recent $450,000 grant from the Petco Foundation for the shelter couldn’t be used to purchase the cages. Keough said the grant funds have restrictions and would be used for routine veterinary care like spay, neuter and vaccinations.