FLORENCE-On Thursday, January 17 the new Florence/Lauderdale Animal Services building held a walk-through for Officials. The tour of the $3 million facility at 3240 Roberson Road in Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Park was conducted by Florence Mayor Steve Holt.
Holt who is very proud of the new facility said, “It has been a long time coming, but the end of construction is near and the opening will be just around the corner.”
The city is paying $2 million and the county $1 million for the new facility the building is nearly 13,000 square feet compared to the existing 30+ year old building at 4,000 square feet located in Florence at 702 East College Street. The new facility will have 219 kennels, an outdoor fenced courtyard for dogs, a large open play room for cats that can be viewed from the lobby as well as outside the building.
The new building has a specialized heating and ventilation system which will help minimize moisture and control odors as well as separated location for intake area where the animals can be checked out and given shots as needed. The new Animal Services also will have an area were people wanting to adopt can spend time with their pet before committing to adoption.
Mayor Holt said the new facility will have a capacity of nearly 400 animals where the old facility had a capacity of only 125, and the number of animals on many occasions has exceeded that figure.
The building should be completed before spring and according to the Mayor the animals at the old facility will not be moved but will stay at the old facility which will remain open until all animals from this location have been adopted or fostered.
