SUMMERS COUNTY W.Va. (Hinton News) – The Summers County Commission has approved a bid to build a new kennel facility to house dogs in the care of the county animal control officer. The bid for $82,000 was submitted by Horizon Structures based in Pennsylvania. Dogs have been held in a temporary kennel facility at the county’s Solid Waste Authority in Hinton. Groundbreaking for the facility is to begin in the spring.
Summers County Humane Society President Cheryl Miller says Horizon is well known for the animal care facilities they construct, they are well thought out and address the needs of dogs and the people who care for them in public facilities. The kennel building is proposed to provide kennels for at least seven dogs, maybe more when dogs are compatible. The facility will offer heating, air conditioning, water, sewer, easily washed and drained concrete floors, a washer/dryer and overall safe and comfortable accommodations while dogs are held in county care prior to going into foster home or adoption situations.
Miller says presently, dogs in the county’s care are held in a temporary shelter facility, “but the goal has always been to build a permanent building designed for this type of use. The present facility is maintained by the county with the assistance of the local humane society. It’s been a long haul getting this project to this point and we are very happy and relieved to see this progress.”
Jacob Perez is the animal control officer in Summers County. He said, “We finally got the bid accepted for a brand new building, and the county is willing to put the resources in to provide electric, septic, add-ons and everything we need to get, so this is going to be great, with a quarantine area, too, so new dogs that come in will be able to avoid contaminating other animals in the facility when they arrive. And, we won’t have some of the mess we presently have in the existing temporary kennels which are very open and messy. This is going to be great for the county and all the volunteers, myself, and the dogs. I’m glad this finally went through.”
Perez says the new facility will be a 14 x 36 foot building. It will be placed on a raised concrete pad, with all the drains from each of the seven kennels connecting on the bottom to a drain to a septic tank making it easier to spray out and keep clean. It will be a well-insulated facility because the winters here are cold. They will also add some fencing so the dogs can go out and run around and have some more exercise. Dogs confined in the present facility require walks on leashes. Much of the walking on leashes is conducted by humane society volunteers.
Perez says the county’s acceptance of this bid means a kennel could be up and operational in four to six months.
Christina Cochran, Secretary for the Summers County Humane Society Board of Directors, has been involved in moving the kennel project forward for a couple of years. She said, “This is a huge win! It’s been a long time coming! The humane society is so grateful the current county leadership sees animal welfare worthy of investment and that this will be the last winter dogs under the care of animal control will be housed in a temporary facility not designed for this use. Our volunteers are excited to continue partnering to find permanent placement for stray and abused dogs in a safe, warm, dry and easily maintained facility.”
“This is really exciting because it’s been needed for a long time,” according to Summers County Administrator Lisa Eads. “All parties involved are excited.”
Summers County has $67,500 in hand toward purchasing the facility to be delivered and placed on the concrete foundation the county will build, but it will still need additional funds to bring it all together. The funding available for the future facility has come from a variety of sources. West Virginia State Senators Jack David Woodrum and Vince Deeds presented $50,000 for the project, West Virginia Delegate Roy Cooper presented $5000, the City of Hinton voted to contribute $10,000 for the facility and a private contribution of $2500 from Twin States Beauty Supply Company in Hinton. An additional $14,500 will cover the remainder of the bid from Horizon Structures, and more financial investment is needed to pay for the foundation, electrical, plumbing, washer/dryer and fencing before the facility can be completed and functional this spring or summer.
