A remodel for Fido

It’s interesting how much laws cost.

Last week, the Bertie County Commissioners tapped the brakes on the proposed new animal shelter project that has been on the drawing board, literally, for the past two years.

The decision came after Assistant County Manager David Scarborough presented facts that logically made moving forward with the project senseless.

The decision was based purely on costs having escalated. Originally the shelter, which was proposed as a 2,300-square-foot structure to accommodate 27 animals — 15 dogs and 12 cats — in style, complete with artificial turf.

The project began with architects DWG Shelter Planners. According to Bill Daggett, owner of DWG, the firm is well versed in strict laws and regulation of animal shelter construction and claimed that Virginia and North Carolina have the toughest animal shelter laws in the country. That knowledge was most likely embedded in the services provided along with plans for the shelter. The cost for the plans and other services was $80,000.

Apparently, the legislators passing the animal shelter laws paid little mind on the cost of such laws and what they would do to cash strapped counties.

At it’s onset, the cost of the project was exorbitant, however, current bids have jettisoned the project over the past 18 months. Even though the commissioners trimmed the square footage of the project by 750 square feet, the bids still came in between $1.3 million and $2.9 million.

I believe the commissioners understand the need for an improved county animal shelter. The current shelter is the dog version of the sidewalks in San Francisco’s Mission District, where tarps and boxes have become acceptable human living conditions.

However, the commissioners also understand their fiduciary responsibility to the citizens.

Currently, the county has approximately $400,000 allocated for the shelter with other funding possible available from grant awards. However, those funds are not guaranteed.

For the commissioners to have moved forward with the project knowing they had an $800,000 shortfall, even though monies may have been available, it was a very huge step to take. If other monies couldn’t have been found for the project the funds would have had to come from somebody’s pocket. Namely, the taxpayers.

Interestingly, PETA Assistant Director of Local Affairs Rachel Bellis was in attendance when the commissioners were discussing the project.

At one point Commissioner Michael White asked Bellis about a possible PETA donation.

“Rachel, would PETA be able to make a $1 million donation?”

“Commissioner White, I suggest you write a letter outlining your request. I will see it gets to the right person. Also, we’re not asking the commissioners to build a new animal shelter. Fix the one you have and pass a tethering law, is what we’d like to see,” said Bellis.

It may be time to ask for volunteers to assist in the rebuild of the current shelter using $400,000 for an upgrade.

There isn’t a dog or cat in the country that wouldn’t want to move into a $400,000 remodeled home.