Pet adoption charges waived in Pinellas County as shelter undergoes renovations

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Pinellas County Animal Services is waiving all adoption service fees when its kennels get a facelift.

It is dropping additional than half of its place to household animals during the development. Phase a single of the task, renovating the shelter’s two most significant doggy buildings, began last November.

“We also upgraded our kennels, and they now consist of growth gates and designed in beds,” Jennifer Renner, Interim Director of Pinellas County Animal Products and services, said. “We’ve taken out all the grates to protect the paws of our canines and cats,” she said.

Most likely the most interesting up grade is air conditioning.

“It will get particularly sizzling here in the summer time, of study course, as anybody that lives listed here knows. And so, these comfort upgrades are heading to be for the pets and for the people offering the care,” she said.

County revenue from the Penny for Pinellas fund is shelling out for the $3.5 million challenge.

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“It was exceptionally essential. The kennels formerly had been crumbling,” Renner stated. “It is a lot more open and shiny. The kennels are much more comfortable for the canine.”

Section two of the job, another pet dog constructing and one particular cat making, will start out when period one opens up coming 7 days. The properties will also be hardened to face up to a Group 4 hurricane as opposed to only a 1 or a 2 for the current buildings.

All through hurricanes, if someone with specific demands checks into a hurricane shelter in Pinellas County, Animal Products and services will acquire care of their pet in the course of the storm.

“That’s particularly essential that this shelter is a harmless haven for our team as very well as the pets in our care if a catastrophe does strike this area,” Renner reported.

Because their capacity is minimize in half through construction, Animal Products and services is presenting free adoptions. Renner claimed the community has stepped up and adopted 561 pets considering the fact that the undertaking started out very last slide.

“We have the community to thank as very well as the volunteers for the really hard work that they also put into this job. They are just as thrilled as we are to see this go into completion,” she reported.

Building on the entire venture is expected to be concluded by the conclusion of the calendar year. Cost-free adoptions will final until finally the challenge is finished. 

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