The City of Ames is looking to move its animal shelter to a larger, former daycare facility to better serve local pets.
Ames: The city is planning to turn an old daycare into a new animal shelter. The current shelter is just too small for all the animals they have.
Right now, the Ames Animal Shelter is at 325 Billy Sunday Road, but it’s only 3,500 square feet. That’s not enough room for the number of animals they care for.
They often have to deal with overcrowding, which makes it tough to keep sick animals separate. Plus, the building has issues with insulation and ventilation, making it uncomfortable for the animals.
The city is eyeing a property at 2715 Dayton Avenue, where the Eagle’s Loft Day Care used to be. This new spot is nearly three times bigger than the current shelter.
The site has almost six acres of land and a large building with a basement and parking lot. Ames has a 90-day option to buy it for $1.1 million, and they need to decide by February 25.
Assistant City Manager Brian Phillips thinks this new facility is a great opportunity. It won’t need much construction, so they can get it up and running quickly.
He mentioned that it’s easier to move into an existing building than to start from scratch. Plus, they’ll get more space for their money.
The current shelter has been around since 1994 and hasn’t had many updates. They even had to convert a job trailer into extra cat housing to help with the crowding.
In 2019, the shelter was evaluated and found to be not worth further investment. If they remodel, they’d have to temporarily relocate the animals.
The Dayton Avenue property is in good shape, built in 1995. It has features like a reception area, offices, and even a kitchen, which would be handy for the shelter.
There’s also a fenced outdoor area for the animals, which is a big plus. The site has room to expand in the future if needed.
City staff estimates it will cost about $4.4 million to convert the new building into a shelter. This includes buying the property, design, renovations, and furnishings.
The Ames City Council has set aside $100,000 in the budget for initial steps. They’re also looking to raise about $1.5 million from donations to help cover costs.
The council has hired INVISION Architecture to evaluate the Dayton Avenue building. They’ll provide cost estimates and plans for the conversion.
They expect to have the evaluation done by the end of January, with design proposals ready in early February. If the building isn’t suitable, they’ll come up with a backup plan for a new shelter on city-owned land.
