An inside look: Upgraded animal shelter opening soon in Bryan County

BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Bryan County animal services will open its new shelter soon. It’s one more way the county is adapting to rapid growth in the community.

The Richmond Hill location is larger than the existing site and is right off Dog Lane Road.

And with a nearly $1 million price tag, the county is investing in the space, big time.

County leaders hope it will help with the county’s adoption rates.

“We’ve definitely seen a need to expand a lot of our services,” said Kathryn Downs, Bryan County’s Assistant County Administrator. “With our new shelter, we will definitely increase those standards even more, and our animals, we will keep them happy and healthy.”

For the past several months, crews have been hard at work building and preparing for all the available animals to move to this new shelter, which they built in front of the existing shelter.

“We’re just excited about getting into the new facility that will have some expanded capacity, about nine new kennels, and an additional cat room, also a dedicated room for adoptions. So we really want the public to come in here and kind of be a part of this,” said Downs.

The building has more quarantine space for cats, new dog runs that allow dogs to be inside and outside when they’re in their kennels-- they also say it will help with socialization of these pets.

“The one currently here in Richmond Hill is a little bit older than the one in Pembroke. Pembroke was built in 2019. So just bringing all of our facilities up to modern standards,” said Downs. “A lot of that investment has been in our people and animal care. We now have our animal officers that are trained through the National Animal Care and Control Association,” said Downs.

And for those who aren’t pet owners themselves... Downs says it still affects them.

“It’s really keeping our community safe. So, even if you don’t want to come and adopt an animal, just know that the animals in the community are being cared for and taken care of if there’s any need to, you know, pick up an animal or anything like that, those officers are here” said Downs.

This location has around 30 dogs and 20 cats that are available for adoption, with some open kennels as well.

December 1st will be that big ribbon-cutting and opening ceremony.