Satellite Shelter

Local Animal Shelter Updates by this animal lover (and former AVHS Board President and occasional volunteer)

Animal lovers can soon look forward to "window shopping" for cats and a retail center offering a variety of pet supplies and animal related gifts. The Ark-Valley Humane Society (AVHS) plans to open a satellite shelter in Poncha Springs in the near future. Having this facility will give Poncha Springs and Salida area residents direct access to AVHS’ many services, as well as to immediately address the need for care imposed by the large number of homeless cats in Chaffee County. The satellite shelter will be located in Poncha Springs on Highway 285, near the intersection of Highway 50.

“AVHS is excited for the opportunity to do more for all the residents and animals it is dedicated to serving,” explains Shelter Director Michelle Wayland. As the shelter director since 2003, Wayland has witnessed many positive advances in serving the local homeless animal population. In 2006, Chaffee County residents voted to provide operating funds to AVHS through increased taxes. As a result, AVHS operational expenses are covered, enabling the expansion to serve a greater number of county animals and residents.

To begin operations of the satellite facility, major renovations and the addition of a small dog wing are needed, at the cost of $275,000. Currently, AVHS and Mountain Shadows Animal Hospital (MSAH) combined do not have the capacity to accommodate all homeless cats in our county. Stray cats and dogs found in southern Chaffee County will be brought to the satellite facility for potential reclaim. Lost and found services will aim to reunite lost pets with their owners, and unclaimed animals will be assessed and placed up for adoption. Stray dogs will be kept at the satellite facility five days for possible reclaim by an owner. Unclaimed dogs will be transferred to the Buena Vista facility to be offered for adoption. These dogs will be housed indoors in a room with sound proofing and will only be permitted to exercise in an outdoor yard one or two at a time, under staff supervision, for short periods of time.

The satellite facility will serve as a no-kill adoption center for unclaimed stray cats. (A no-kill shelter will decide to euthanize an animal only if it is too sick to be treated or too aggressive to be suitable for adoption.) AVHS currently saves 96% of pets in its care, which is exceptional compared to the majority of other Colorado shelters. Prior-to-adoption services will include medical care, vaccinations, micro-chipping and spay/neuter. The satellite shelter will also be a resource to provide pet-related services to south county residents. Pet licensing and microchipping will be available. Low-income Chaffee County residents will be able to pick up discount coupons to spay or neuter their pets. Feral cat information and Trap/Neuter/Return (TNR) program support will be available. The TNR program offers free vaccinations and spaying or neutering of feral cats living in Chaffee County. Pet owners will have access to pet behavior information and support.

You can reach Shelter Director Michelle Wayland at (719) 395-2737 shelterdirector@chaffeewireless.net or visit the AVHS website at www.ark-valley.org

Published in the February 2010 Colorado Central magazine