Carpe Diem
01-23-2008, 10:17 AM
I read this in The Villager this morning (online):
As the Humane Society of Montgomery County prepares to move into a larger facility, the debate continues over its rental space at the county shelter.
With the final details completed on the new $1.2 million shelter, the city of Conroe plan handed over the keys to the HSMC on Saturday.
The shelter, at 407 Sgt. Ed Holcomb Blvd., will provide additional kennel space, a comprehensive surgery center and a conference room.
"It's a great location and it is actually designed as an animal shelter," Conroe Assistant City Administrator Paul Virgadamo said.
The HSMC's current shelter is a 33-year-old Conroe-owned building on East Dallas Street. HSMC has served as Conroe's animal shelter for more than 10 years and also contracts with Willis. However, adoptions are not limited to residents of either city.
"We have our main shelter in Conroe but we're trying to do adoptions all over Montgomery County and we have an off-site adoption center because we need a presence in The Woodlands because we do many of our adoptions there," said Debra Turner, executive director for HSMC.
The HSMC adoption center is rented from Montgomery County and is under the same roof as the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, on Texas 242 in South County. However, MCAS volunteers approached county commissioners Jan. 7 to request that MCAS be allowed to use the 2,000-square-foot space occupied by the HSMC.
"We could really use the space and they aren't utilizing all of it," said LaJeane Thompson, MCAS's administrative manager. "They have several off-site locations where they can do adopting, and we're packed now. We're using closet space for our surgeries and if we had their space, we could use it for surgeries."
Turner admits that all of the animals at HSMC could be housed in the new Conroe shelter, but the HSMC board of directors voted to keep the space at the county facility because it can be easily accessed by South Montgomery County residents. If the MCAS needs the space, Turner said, she wishes someone with the MCAS would have just called her and expressed the need, rather than bringing it before Commissioners Court.
The new 10,000-square-foot facility in Conroe will allow the HSMC to house at least 106 dogs and 107 cats.
The organization's adoption numbers are rising steadily. Last year, on average, 72 animals were adopted from the shelter. If the past few months' statistics continue at the same rate, 180 animals will be adopted out per month this year, Turner said.
HSMC is a nonprofit organization which charges a fee per animal coming in and going out of the shelter. Although many animals HSMC receives are from Conroe and Willis, it also accepts animals from smaller shelters and rescue groups, Turner said.
"We do not have a no-kill policy but so far we've been lucky, because we've not had to euthanize based on overcrowding, only sickness," Turner said.
The new shelter officially opened Monday.
For more information about the HSMC, to volunteer or to inquire about adopting a pet, call 936-441-4762 or 936-271-7600, or visit www.hsmc-tx.org.
By the numbers:
The $1.2 million animal shelter is being built by the city of Conroe
The shelter will have room for at least 106 dogs and 107 cats
The former shelter is 33 years old
72 animals on average per month were adopted from the shelter in 2007
The facility is 10,000 square feet
As the Humane Society of Montgomery County prepares to move into a larger facility, the debate continues over its rental space at the county shelter.
With the final details completed on the new $1.2 million shelter, the city of Conroe plan handed over the keys to the HSMC on Saturday.
The shelter, at 407 Sgt. Ed Holcomb Blvd., will provide additional kennel space, a comprehensive surgery center and a conference room.
"It's a great location and it is actually designed as an animal shelter," Conroe Assistant City Administrator Paul Virgadamo said.
The HSMC's current shelter is a 33-year-old Conroe-owned building on East Dallas Street. HSMC has served as Conroe's animal shelter for more than 10 years and also contracts with Willis. However, adoptions are not limited to residents of either city.
"We have our main shelter in Conroe but we're trying to do adoptions all over Montgomery County and we have an off-site adoption center because we need a presence in The Woodlands because we do many of our adoptions there," said Debra Turner, executive director for HSMC.
The HSMC adoption center is rented from Montgomery County and is under the same roof as the Montgomery County Animal Shelter, on Texas 242 in South County. However, MCAS volunteers approached county commissioners Jan. 7 to request that MCAS be allowed to use the 2,000-square-foot space occupied by the HSMC.
"We could really use the space and they aren't utilizing all of it," said LaJeane Thompson, MCAS's administrative manager. "They have several off-site locations where they can do adopting, and we're packed now. We're using closet space for our surgeries and if we had their space, we could use it for surgeries."
Turner admits that all of the animals at HSMC could be housed in the new Conroe shelter, but the HSMC board of directors voted to keep the space at the county facility because it can be easily accessed by South Montgomery County residents. If the MCAS needs the space, Turner said, she wishes someone with the MCAS would have just called her and expressed the need, rather than bringing it before Commissioners Court.
The new 10,000-square-foot facility in Conroe will allow the HSMC to house at least 106 dogs and 107 cats.
The organization's adoption numbers are rising steadily. Last year, on average, 72 animals were adopted from the shelter. If the past few months' statistics continue at the same rate, 180 animals will be adopted out per month this year, Turner said.
HSMC is a nonprofit organization which charges a fee per animal coming in and going out of the shelter. Although many animals HSMC receives are from Conroe and Willis, it also accepts animals from smaller shelters and rescue groups, Turner said.
"We do not have a no-kill policy but so far we've been lucky, because we've not had to euthanize based on overcrowding, only sickness," Turner said.
The new shelter officially opened Monday.
For more information about the HSMC, to volunteer or to inquire about adopting a pet, call 936-441-4762 or 936-271-7600, or visit www.hsmc-tx.org.
By the numbers:
The $1.2 million animal shelter is being built by the city of Conroe
The shelter will have room for at least 106 dogs and 107 cats
The former shelter is 33 years old
72 animals on average per month were adopted from the shelter in 2007
The facility is 10,000 square feet