Missoula Animal Control Expansion & Remodel
Missoula Animal Control is expanding! We are overjoyed to be moving from the years-long planning stage into making this project a reality. The building expansion and remodel project will have huge benefits for the animals, the public and the shelter staff.
After years of planning, construction crews, county officials, staff members and shelter residents broke ground on Sept. 6, 2024. Plans include larger cages for cats, indoor/outdoor kennel access for dogs and a small animal room to house rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, etc. A larger lobby will make services more accessible for the public and two additional rooms will allow potential adopters to meet new pets. Workspaces for shelter staff will include a room for animal control officers, a meeting room and break room. Plans also call for a new animal intake room, a laundry facility and a surgery room with adequate space for recovering animals.
Why is this project needed?
The Missoula Animal Control expansion project will give staff better workspaces, reduce overcrowding and noise within the shelter, improve animal housing, creating essential areas for the public like meet and greet rooms, and update animal housing. This will enhance the overall effectiveness of the shelter and improve the quality of life for both the animals and the staff.
What will the project look like?
For the animals:
- A new, separate room for small animals (will reduce stress if they can be away from cats and dogs)
- Adding several flexible cat rooms with larger cages and access to a future outdoor space (e.g., a cat patio also known as a Catio). Limiting the number of cats in a space and giving them larger cages reduces stress and sickness caused by stress. In turn, cats can be adopted out more quickly.
- Convert existing cat room to an isolation area for sick cats, with larger cat cages.
- Add new dog kennels with ready access to the outside. This setup will reduce stress on the dogs, improving their life (mental health?) while they’re at the shelter. That also helps them get adopted more quickly.
For the public:
- Larger lobby area
- Small rooms for meet and greets with adoptable animals
- Small rooms to say good-bye to an animal being surrendered
- Access to adoptable cats and dogs
- A small animal room to visit bunnies, guinea pigs, birds, etc. away from dogs and cats
For the staff:
- Small break and meeting room
- Dedicated surgery room with observation kennels for animals in recovery
- Separate room for Animal Control Officers
- Conveniently located, dedicated animal intake room
The following two parts of this project are not currently funded. We hope to be able to raise the money to include them:
- Remodel the existing kennels so that dogs either have access to the outside or a separate place for them to potty.
- Add an enclosed port to offload animals when Animal Control Officers bring them to the shelter. This will reduce stress on the animals and reduce the potential for escapes. The latter is especially important considering how close the shelter is to the interstate.
How is the project funded?
Missoula City-County Animal Control is part of the Environmental Health Division of Missoula Public Health. The city and county cooperate through an interlocal agreement, which specifies each will be responsible for 50% of the cost of a shelter building project. The project is being funded through a combination of ARPA (federal) funding, grants, and financing. We have also committed to raising $500,000 in donations or grants to keep the project affordable.
We need your help! All donations to this project are tax deductible. Your contribution will go directly to the shelter remodel and expansion and help animals in the Missoula community!
