HAYS COUNTY — The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter may finally find some relief after years of struggling with being the only animal intake shelter in the county.
The Hays County commissioners court heard a presentation for a second animal shelter, following a feasibility study, at its meeting on June 21.
Commissioners approved funding for the study and issued the request for proposals at meetings in 2021, which led to the selection of Team Shelter USA and Animal Arts in March 2022 to conduct a needs assessment for a centralized Pet Resource Center. Commissioners Debbie Ingalsbe and Lon Shell have been at the forefront of these efforts.
Dr. Sara Pizano of Team Shelter USA and Heather Lewis from Animal Arts presented the study at the meeting, outlining the potential programs, costs and goals of a new shelter that would supplement SMRAS.
Pizano said that her team has been trying to undo an antiquated 150-year-old animal welfare system that is currently “set up for failure,” and that while San Marcos is trapped in this system currently, there is a great opportunity to help people and pets in other ways.
Per the study, a shelter facility should be the last option for pets when all other alternatives for placement have been exhausted. Research has indicated that most pets entering shelters are often from socioeconomically disadvantaged pet owners in underserved communities, and that oftentimes, they want to keep their pets — they just need some temporary help.
Because SMRAS is currently the only intake animal shelter in the county, it experiences overcapacity, expensive operational costs, volunteer staffing issues and more. A new shelter would alleviate much of the stress that is placed on SMRAS, which often shares on social media its urgent need for adopters and fosters to help alleviate the overflow of animals kept in cages in the front office or the shelter having to make difficult decisions about an animal’s fate.
Additionally, proactive programs could dramatically reduce the number of pets entering the shelter system. The new shelter would also be able to offer veterinarian services for the county, including microchips and trap/spay/neuter/release programs, which were recommended to be run by a nonprofit organization.
The total estimated cost of the new shelter is around $23.3 million, and would include an interior and exterior pet resource center and open door model veterinary care clinic facilities totaling nearly 24,000 square feet with a recommended holding capacity for 58 canines and 47 felines. It is also being recommended that the shelter be located in a more centralized and urbanized area of Hays County, such as around Kyle.
If the court moves forward with the new shelter it will take a while for it to actually come to fruition, but the commissioners are planning on continuing to work with the community, cities in Hays County, Team Shelter USA, Animal Arts and other shelters.
“You have the opportunity to do this right, and make no mistake, this is a social issue,” Pizano said. “This is not just about pets; this is about people. … When you help pets, you’re helping people.”
For more information on SMRAS and how to volunteer, donate, adopt or foster, visit www.sanmarcostx.gov/208/San-Marcos-Regional-Animal-Shelter.
