Needs Assessment Study for. New Animal Shelter. For Shelby County, OH. January 26, 2015

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1 Needs Assessment Study for New Animal Shelter For Shelby County, OH 1100 Clem Road Sidney, OH January 26, W. Randol Mill Rd. Suite 300, Arlington, TX Phone (817) Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 1 of 42

2 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF STUDY The purpose of this Needs Assessment Study (Study) is for Shelter Planners of America (SPA) to provide information to the Shelby County Animal Rescue Foundation (SCARF) that will guide them in regard to the future facilities needs for Shelby County Animal Shelter, which is owned and operated by Shelby County, OH. The Study was authorized by Eric Barr, President of the Board, on October 15, 2014 in accordance SPA proposal dated August 20, Information in this Study was developed from information provided by SCARF and observed during our on-site visit on November 18, The Study provides an evaluation of the existing facility, looks at people and animal levels, provides a proposed Building Space Program, provides site considerations, recommends features, discusses staffing, operating cost, estimated construction cost and operational matters. It should be understood this Study is the first step in planning a new shelter. The second step will be to develop the Conceptual Site Plan and Building Floor Plan based on the approved Building Program contained in this Study. The third and final step will be development of the working drawings and specifications for constructing your project. There is a strong feeling among the general public and people who support humanely run shelters that new animal shelters need to be designed to address irresponsible animal ownership problems and irresponsible pet breeding. It is felt these problems should be countered with remedial programs of spay and neuter requirements, pet owner and public education, developing progressive ordinances and well promoted adoption programs. This approach is preferable to simply allowing the destruction of animals as a response to the problem of pet over population and irresponsible pet owners. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 3 of 42

2. EVALUATION OF EXISTING FACILITIES General Shelby County, OH is responsible for the operation of

SCARF is a private organization whose mission is to raise funds to support Shelby County Animal

The present shelter was constructed in 1970 and was added to in 1997.

3 2. EVALUATION OF EXISTING FACILITIES General Shelby County, OH is responsible for the operation of the existing shelter. SCARF is a private organization whose mission is to raise funds to support Shelby County Animal Shelter. The exact beginning date of the shelter operation is unknown, but was prior to the 1970s. The present shelter was constructed in 1970 and was added to in The shelter contains approximately 3,372 square feet of indoor space including the garage and 328 square feet of outdoor kennel space. Front view of existing shelter Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 4 of 42

The present shelter facility was built with a materials and concepts that were common at the time of construction, but are of

An effort was made to construct a good shelter, but old design techniques and wear have taken a toll on the present building.

The dog kennels are not ideal for ease of cleaning and maintaining the animals in a healthy state.

4 The present shelter facility was built with a materials and concepts that were common at the time of construction, but are of lower quality materials and finishes than today s modern shelters. An effort was made to construct a good shelter, but old design techniques and wear have taken a toll on the present building. The building does not have good flow for animal intake and creates additional work for staff. The dog kennels are not ideal for ease of cleaning and maintaining the animals in a healthy state. The staff has done the best job possible of maintaining the building under difficult conditions. They are to be commended for keeping the building clean and presentable to the public. Layout of Existing Building Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 5 of 42

5 Administrative Areas The shelter s public reception and front office are much too small. The front desk staff are closed off from the public and does not present an open and welcoming appearance. If one person is at the front desk window filling out paperwork and somebody else comes in then the space is overcrowded. There is no vestibule and the front door just opens into this space, allowing cold weather to blow right in when the door is opened. The front public reception area is too small. Existing Office Space Existing Office Space Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 6 of 42

Dog Housing The shelter currently has 27 dog runs and utilizes indoor/outdoor design. Existing dog runs have glazed structural tile on three sides that is easy to clean.

6 Dog Housing The shelter currently has 27 dog runs and utilizes indoor/outdoor design. Existing dog runs have glazed structural tile on three sides that is easy to clean. However, the floors are concrete and that is hard to sanitize because it is porous. Outdoor kennels have trench drains that allow for cross contamination. Kennels have trench drains that are difficult to keep clean. They are covered with removable grates to reduce cross contamination, but those have to be moved and cleaned, and is time consuming. Existing dog runs use chain-link material that is difficult to keep clean. Unfortunately, the kennels are built with undesirable style trench drains, and have the look of an industrial warehouse, and this is the opposite of the welcoming, pleasant look needed to encourage the public to visit for adoptions and returns. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 7 of 42

Quarantine kennels are not properly separated from the other animals.

And there are no separate isolation kennels. Puppies are kept in cages.

Puppies in elevated cages have been known to step out of cages and fall to the floor and

7 Quarantine kennels are not properly separated from the other animals. Solid panels between quarantine runs should extend full height. And there are no separate isolation kennels. Puppies are kept in cages. These are difficult and time consuming to clean. Puppies in elevated cages have been known to step out of cages and fall to the floor and hurt themselves. The cooling, heating and ventilation system in the animal housing areas is inadequate for the animals health protection. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 8 of 42

8 Cat Housing Cat room is windowless and not very inviting to the public. Cat housing is too small, for today s standards, and difficult to clean. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 9 of 42

9 Support Areas Laundry is mixed with the mechanical equipment. Animal kitchen does not have appropriate counter space and is undesirable. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 10 of 42

It is larger than needed for just the garage function and therefore is used as

10 Existing Crematory is not in use Existing crematory is not in use Existing garage is very large. It is larger than needed for just the garage function and therefore is used as storage. The access into the building from the garage does not provide good traffic flow. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 11 of 42

11 Back room is used for storage. There is only one toilet for the staff and the public. The public must enter the private office area to gain access to the toilet. In summary, the existing shelter would require significant work to be updated to today s standards. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 12 of 42

Shelby County Commissioners have approved the use of another site for a new animal shelter. Refer to page 21.

12 Site The existing shelter is centrally located within the service area and reasonably accessible. However, it is located on a dead-end road adjacent to the sewage treatment plant with very little visibility. Shelby County Commissioners have approved the use of another site for a new animal shelter. Refer to page 21. Location of existing site and proposed new site Site plan of existing shelter. There is sufficient area on the existing site to add onto the existing building. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 13 of 42

13 Adoption: approximately 209 or 38% are adopted directly or turned over to rescue groups for adoption. The number of adoptions is on the low end compared to many modern shelters that have adoption rates of 40-60%. Returned to Owner: approximately 158 or 28% of dogs are returned to their owners. The number of returns to owners is good when compared to many modern shelters that have return to owner rates between 10-20%. The Return to Owner rate is so high it raises the question as to whether people are claiming lost animals to be their own instead of adopting them. To be sure this is not happening the shelter should only return an animal to an owner after the owner proves ownership by presenting one of the following: 1) Vet records 2) photos of the pet 3) bill of sale from verifiable business source 4) notarized statement signed by two individuals stating that they know of ownership. Euthanized: approximately 38 dogs were euthanized and 5 dogs died in the shelter. This results in an 8% euthanasia rate, which is very good compared to many modern shelters that have rates of 20 45%. As cute as these puppies are, irresponsible pet ownership resulted in about 38 dogs being euthanized last year at the Shelby County Animal Shelter. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 15 of 42

14 6. RECOMMENDED FEATURES A. Design Concept An example of a welcoming new animal shelter by Shelter Planners of America of about the size needed for Shelby County, OH The new shelter should be built with low-maintenance, heavy-duty materials. The interior should be brightly lighted and open with pleasing colors and pleasant public spaces. Animal holding areas should provide as much health protection, safety and comfort as possible with today s new materials and designs. The new building should be planned to be expandable if the selected site will allow. For the new shelter we recommend a one story building. The structure would be a slab on grade, depending on the soil condition, with masonry and framed walls and sloped truss roof. The exterior should avoid an institutional look, preferring a human scale and welcoming feel. It should be compatible with other nearby structures and be attractive and inviting to the public. Abundant natural lighting should be provided to all animal housing areas and staff work areas. Attractive landscaping will be very important to the appearance of the new building. We recommend that an extensive landscaping plan, be a part of the building project. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 24 of 42

15 1. Dog Housing Shelby County plans to utilize indoor/outdoor kennels. The indoor portion of the kennel will allow the building to be comfortable in the summer and eliminate possible overexposure of animals to cold weather. Indoor/outdoor kennel design will allow dogs to be kept safe and dry during the cleaning procedure by moving dogs to the covered outside run. This allows for efficient daily cleaning. Floors will be sloped to individual drains thereby eliminating trench drains which are difficult to clean and can cause cross contamination. There should be special sound control materials used in the design to keep the building quiet inside and to keep noise level down. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 25 of 42

2. Cat Housing These cages have individual exhaust, the cats can be viewed from the public corridor through glass or from inside the cat room through the cage front 3.

16 2. Cat Housing These cages have individual exhaust, the cats can be viewed from the public corridor through glass or from inside the cat room through the cage front 3. Puppy areas - Puppies are to be housed separately from the adult dogs for disease control. We recommend all puppies be housed in floor level pens. This is to prevent them from stepping out of a cage with an open door, falling out of cages located several feet above the floor and possibly injuring themselves. Puppies will have individual 3 x 5 inside pens to hold litters of puppies. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 26 of 42

B. Interior Features Shelters built in the past did not have the advantage of using many of the new innovative materials and equipment available only in recent years.

17 B. Interior Features Shelters built in the past did not have the advantage of using many of the new innovative materials and equipment available only in recent years. Animal shelters of today are no longer just warehouse structures with cages lined down the walls. Shelters are very specialized buildings which are more like hospitals and shopping malls than warehouses in construction. A high level of quality is needed if the facility is to be able to keep animals healthy and to hold up under heavy wear. This is especially important for a shelter that is striving to present an attractive, welcoming image to the public. An attractive, quiet front lobby is important in a shelter. This improves customer satisfaction and increases adoptions. The goal is to make the shelter a place where employees feel positive and the public enjoys visiting for pet adoption, pet retrieval, pet owner education and other animal services. Most importantly, the shelter must house animals in the healthiest, least stressful manner possible. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 27 of 42

Today, modern shelters are designed to include central washing equipment, central animal watering systems, individual kennel floor drains, 100% outside air with heat exchangers for economy, heated

18 Today, modern shelters are designed to include central washing equipment, central animal watering systems, individual kennel floor drains, 100% outside air with heat exchangers for economy, heated kennel floors, noise control systems and long-lasting, easily disinfected wall and floor finishes. Special equipment can be utilized in a new shelter. During the preparation of the construction drawings and specifications in Step 3 we will review with you all of the details and choices that are available including performances, features, pros & cons, and the cost implications of the various options. Some of the equipment and finishes are pictured below. Central pressure washing equipment allows the animal areas to be cleaned and disinfected in one very rapid process with less water consumption. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 28 of 42

Shelter Planners of America uses special Guillotine doors that prevent loss of

19 The special trowel on kennel floor finish comes in an attractive array of earth tone colors to make kennels cheerful and bright. It also halts bacteria growth. Shelter Planners of America uses special Guillotine doors that prevent loss of heated or cooled air from the kennel. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 29 of 42

Attractive Kennels with bright lighting levels, germicidal floor finishes and sound

20 Each animal Kennel is equipped with an automatic waterer so that animals always have fresh water available with no staff time required refilling bowls. Attractive Kennels with bright lighting levels, germicidal floor finishes and sound absorbing ceilings make quiet, inviting public spaces. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 30 of 42

Professional grooming tub that animals can be walked into

21 These new style cat cages have individual litter box compartments and positive air exhaust from each cage. Professional grooming tub that animals can be walked into through a swinging door. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 31 of 42

22 C. Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning (HVAC) Heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems must be designed to provide clean, odor free and uncontaminated air throughout all animal housing areas. This is essential to control the spread of air borne viruses. The HVAC system will be custom designed to provide 100% fresh air to kennels with 12 air changes per hour. The system will be designed to provide ceiling air supply above public walkways with a ceiling exhaust above each dog run opposite each supply providing the best odor control for the visiting public and staff. This prevents cross contamination and helps keep return grilles from clogging with animal hair. Additionally, the systems will be fitted with heat exchangers to recapture energy before it is exhausted. This helps keep utility bills as low as possible. There will also be supplemental roof mounted exhaust fans (with separate switches on timers, with red lights) to pull out moist air during and immediately following kennel cleaning. The kennels will be served by multiple, separate, and smaller HVAC systems, each to serve 20-25% of the animal housing areas. This smaller equipment is less expensive to install and service and if a system fails, you still have 75-80% of the building heated and cooled until the system is repaired. Animals can be doubled up until repairs are made. The administrative areas are on a separate air system to prevent odors from entering the staff areas. Warmed floor areas in the front half of each run can be used during cooler seasons. This warmed spot is about 3 deep by the width of the run. The warmed area improves the animal s resistance to disease and allows the animal to be comfortable and quieter during the day. The warmed floor also helps speed the floors drying after wash down. These have also been used in the exterior runs to melt snow. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 32 of 42

23 8. OPERATING COST The present annual total operating budget is $177,000 including Animal Control. The average cost per animal handled is $251 based on 704 animals and the $177,000 total operational budget. Nationally, animal shelter operational budgets run between $250 and $500 per animal. The Shelby County Animal Shelter budget is at the low end of the normal range. The proposed new shelter will be slightly larger than the present shelter, but a new building will be more energy efficient and use less water. Therefore, the cost of utilities may be only slightly higher than the existing shelter. However, the maintenance cost of a new building will be generally less than an older building. Shelby County has indicated they do not plan to increase the annual operating budget for the new shelter. However, it should be noted that the current staffing level is low and the County should consider increasing the budget. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 34 of 42

24 9. ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COST The following construction estimates for a new shelter are based on Dayton, OH in SF A Administrative Areas 1,788 B Animal Housing - Interior 2,628 C Animal Support Areas - Interior 1,288 5,704 $270/SF $1,540,080 D Animal Housing - Exterior 1,216 E Animal Support Areas - Exterior 450 1,666 $80/SF $133,280 Building Cost - Sub-Total $1,673,360 Site Work & Parking 10% $167,336 Utility Extensions $50,000 Total Construction Cost $1,890,696 Soft Costs 20% $378,139 AE Fees, Civil Engineering, Surveying, Soil Tests, Construction Materials Testing, Air Balancing, Furnishing, Loose Equipment, Computers & Phone System, etc. Contingency 5% $113,442 Estimated Total Project Cost $2,382,277 *Does not include land It should be noted that it may be possible to expand and renovate the existing shelter for a considerably lest cost. Considering the shelter is not being moved to a highly visible location, this option could be considered. Shelter Planners of America, Copyright Page 35 of 42

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER COUNCIL COMMITTEE

SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER COUNCIL COMMITTEE City Hall - Midwest City Council Conference room, second floor, 100 N. Midwest Boulevard November 06, 2018 5:30 PM To make a special assistance