From Community Dialog meeting April 16, 2009
New Animal Services Center
Questions & Answers
Are there plans to engage with Art in Public Places for facility art work?
Yes. This project has an Art in Public Places budget of $213,900. The Arts in Public Places Panel voted to use the AIPP funds associated with the Animal Services Center project “to support the commission of artwork with historical reference on the campus”. The Arts Commission likewise voted to approve preliminary direction for the Animal Services Center AIPP Project.
What is the parking space allocation for staff vs. public, vs. volunteers?
Parking calculations have been made in accordance with City of Austin regulations. There are 50 staff spaces and 76 visitor spaces, including volunteers.
What will the signage be like on the campus to lead people from the parking lot to various places in the facility?
Specific signage plans have not yet been developed. However, the project will include a budget for signage. In addition to signage, we will use architectural features to assist visitors in finding their way through the facility. Examples of this include: Visitors will be directed to the Adoption Animals with animal graphics/signage over the lobby door that leads to the Courtyard. Visitors will be directed to the Stray Animals through the lobby portal that leads to the Stray Cat Walk and the Stray Dog Kennels.
How will euthanized pets be disposed of?
The current practice is to dispose of deceased animals in the landfill. There is a city policy directive to significantly reduce the amount of material entering the landfill. This is an issue for consideration as we develop long term plans for animal services. No decision has been made at this time to include a cremation unit on the HHSD Campus. There is space designated in the equipment area in the design of the new Animal Services Center to allow for the option of including a cremation unit on site.
As relates to the future disposal of deceased animals, we are considering a range of options including:
- a cremation unit on-site,
- a cremation unit located elsewhere,
- continued use of the landfill, or
- out-sourcing cremation to an existing provider of such services that already exists in the city.
As our euthanasia rate continues to decline, various options become more viable due to the smaller and more manageable volume of need.
What is the size and capacity of the grooming facilities for dogs and cats? How has the load on electrical infrastructure being accounted for?
The grooming room is 8’ x 20’ for a total of 160 square feet. We will provide a grooming shower stall, a grooming tub with walk-in ramp, and a long stainless steel counter with a sink. There is room for future drying cages. Our MEP Engineer is highly qualified in designing grooming facilities and will provide the necessary infrastructure for both the electrical and mechanical exhaust needs of this room. For example, the outlets in the room will be individually circuited due to the potential of large draws of electricity from the heating equipment. Some outlets will be “pig-tailed”, extending from the ceiling to eliminate the hazard and interference of power cords strung across animals.
What is the size of the surgery room and the number of tables?
The Surgery Room itself is 12’x15’ for a total of 180 square feet. There will be 2 surgery tables in this room
Have you thought about moving the entrance to the HHSD campus away from the curve on Levander Loop?
Yes. However, this road is controlled by TxDOT, and they have expressed no interest in relocating the entrance. Our Civil Engineer has proposed several alternatives that work better, and we plan to continue to try to improve this intersection.
How will the new design (services and amenities) impact the shelter budget?
With the new design we expect to experience increased efficiencies and reduce maintenance cost. At this point, we have requested a budgetary increase of $43,000 to fund one additional position.
Will there be a night drop box?
We are not including a night drop box in the new facility. We will provide 24 hour staff coverage for receiving activities.
Is the glass floor to ceiling fully enclosed in the cat walk areas (concerns about allergies)?
The air in the Cat Stray corridor where the public walks is completely isolated from the cat housing spaces. The separation is achieved through the glass cage fronts as well as the concrete block wall below the cages and the painted dry wall above the cages. The public walking down the Cat Stray corridor will be able to see through the glass to the cats, but they will not be able to touch, hear, feel or smell the cat. This will help protect the cats from the spread of disease as well as eliminate any concerns regarding visitors who may have allergies or other sensitivities. Additionally, the exterior west wall of the cat housing area is glass which will allow natural light to penetrate through the glass cages to the Cat Stray corridor, making this walkway very light and pleasant.
What is the surface of the outdoor dog runs?
The Adoption Dog Yards will be artificial turf, or Canine Grass. The Stray and Quarantine outdoor kennel runs will be epoxy coated concrete.
What is the irrigation plan for the site?
Landscaping will be fully irrigated to support establishment of the new plants. However, the landscaping plan will focus on using native plants so that excessive watering will not be required once the plants are established. An automatic irrigation system will be provided for all landscape to be installed. The irrigation system complies with City of Austin water conservation guidelines.
What are the materials planned for the indoor cat rooms? (concerns about cats tearing up dry wall as a design element).
The Cat Group Rooms will be epoxy painted concrete block.
Are there plans for a public dog space (dog park?) as a destination feature?
HHSD is initiating a process to solicit a dialog with the neighborhood
in order to involve the neighborhood in future plans for the Campus. Working with the Parks and Recreation Department as well as the neighborhood, HHSD will evaluate recreational opportunities on the Campus that will be compatible with current and future plans for Campus development.
What is the size and number of kennels in the dog quarantine area?
The Quarantine kennels have a large outdoor run that is approximately 4’x8’. They will be moved to the indoor cleaning kennel during the outdoor cleaning period, and these indoor kennels are 4’x4’. After cleaning they will have the full run of both the indoor and outdoor kennel through a guillotine type door, or 12’x4’. There are 36 of these kennels. In addition we have designed 4 very large kennels for very large dogs: 6’x8’ on the outside and 6’x4’ on the inside, for a total of 12’x6’. There is a total of 40 Quarantine kennels.
In the site plan is there space for exercise, walking areas for dogs?
Multiple options will be available for exercising the dogs including playpens and walking options on the Campus. The mature trees will create shade and help make the outdoor exercise experiences very enjoyable.
What physical barriers will be in place to separate stray vs. adoptable pets?
We will not be putting fences or other structures in place to limit transition among kennels throughout the facility. Animals are available for placement (or return-to-owner) from all areas of the facility and we want to facilitate placements by making it easy for customers to move through the facility and view all of the animals.
What will prevent loose animals from gaining access to other areas?
( E.g., what would prevent a loose adoptable animal from interacting with the strays or vice/versa)
The design of the dog kennels will significantly reduce the occurrence of escapes from kennels. We will be providing vine covered low fencing in front of the outdoor kennel gates that will not only help to reduce stress by limiting vision of neighboring dogs and activities, they will also help staff contain the dog as needed should it get loose. Additionally, in the new facility, visitors will no longer remove animals from their kennels. Staff or volunteers will be available to assist visitors in taking an animal out of the habitats.
Is the use of trellis serving as walls or roofs?
The grille over the Adoption Kennel outdoor yards will have vines growing on it, and this will act as a shading trellis as well as a noise absorber. The visual walls between the kennels are 3’ high chain link fences that will also have vines growing on them.
What material(s) is the trellis made of?
The grille over the Adoption Kennel outdoor yards will have vines growing on it, and this will act as a shading trellis as well as a noise absorber. The overhead trellis will be a metal grate with small openings. The vertical visual wall barriers between kennels will be 3’ high chain link fence that will also have vines growing on them.
Will there be health services offered for humans on this campus?
HHSD is initiating a process to solicit a dialog with the neighborhood
to determine what the needs are for health and human services. After we have completed this process, HHSD will evaluate how these needs might be met and what opportunities the Campus site offers to meet the needs.
What about a volunteer’s room?
There is a designated area for the volunteers in the administration area of the facility. This room could be used as a gathering room for about 8 to10 people (it is 150 square feet). There is a large Conference Room near by that is 400 square feet and the Multi-purpose Room is even bigger at 720 square feet. Additionally, we hope that with the many outdoor benches throughout the shaded outdoor areas, volunteer gatherings can be held outdoors.
Emancipet is currently on your campus. Do you/they have plans of them remaining there? Will there be any teamwork between the two service/facilities?
Emancipet will remain on the property temporarily as they consider what their long-term goals are related to a stationary clinic. We currently work very closely with Emancipet. Emancipet is the provider for the free sterilization service that we fund, they provide the city shelter with additional surgery capacity through MASH days at the current shelter, and we transport animals to Emancipet for sterilization as part of our return-to-owner fee waiver program. These programs will continue when we move to the new facility.
Current shelter has 60 adoption kennels. New shelter has only 40. How does that impact animals that can be saved?
We anticipate no changes to live outcomes for dogs. We expect an improvement because the housing is more humane, more comfortable for the dogs, and allows us to house more than one dog in an enclosure. This housing system will decrease problems encountered with the long-term kenneling of dogs. The dog capacity for this program will not decrease. The dog rooms will be very large (twice the size of traditional kennels) with large outdoor yards. Each of the yards is connected by gates so that groups of dogs living together may share outdoor yards. While the number of adoption dog kennels will decrease from 60 to 40, the capacity of dogs we house in the adoption kennels could increase to as many as 80.
How many dog exercise areas are there and what size (stray/adoption)?
There are 4 small (10’x10’) and 1 large (30’x90’) exercise areas near the Adoption Dogs. There are two 10’x10’ yards near the Stray Dogs. There is approximately 50’ between the kennel buildings that can be used for exercise, and there are trails throughout the area. Additionally, there will be opportunities for walking of the dogs on the Campus.
How many parking spaces?
Parking calculations have been made in accordance with City of Austin regulations. There are 50 staff spaces and 76 visitor spaces.
What is the size and number of places for stray cats?
There are a total of 106 Stray Cat cages. Each cage is 2’4” deep. The widths and heights vary as follows:
- 30 cages that are 4’ long x 3’ high.
- 16 cages that are 3’ long x 3’ high.
- 30 cages that are 3’ long x 2’6” high.
- 28 cages that are 2’6” long x 2’6”high.
- 2 cages that are 4’ long x 2’6”high.
The variation in cage size will allow for flexibility with the demand and need during peak seasons, the housing of cats together that arrive together, and individual privacy.
What is the capacity of the cat adoption group facilities?
There are 8 Cat Group Rooms, each with their individual outdoor screened porch. Each room is approximately 80 square feet. Additionally there are two cat Get Acquainted Rooms, also with individual screened porches
Surgery area looks smaller than Euthanasia area. Why?
The Euthanasia Room is 300 square feet and allows for animals to be housed comfortably out of view of the euthanasia area. The Surgery Area is 1,280 square feet and includes a Diagnostic Area, Central Pharmacy, 3 Exam/Work Up Rooms, a Surgery Prep room that includes 1 wet table, a Surgery Room that includes 2 surgery tables, and a secure Medicine Storage room. In addition to these rooms are many cages and kennels that will house animals for pre-operative holding and post-operative observation.
Suggestions:
Be careful with design imagery using cats chasing birds.
We will change this design to show the cat playing with an object rather than animal such as yarn balls or stars.
Providing people viewing access of dogs as they walk through the courtyard to the entrance may create an environment where the dogs become distracted by the people walking by rather than paying attention to people trying to consider them for adoption. Consider translucent materials to block the dogs’ view.
Screening for the get acquainted pens will be added to the project.
The vertical stripes as wall treatment seem like cage bars or jail. Perhaps replace with graphics
We will be eliminating the stripes from the walls.
Volunteers fulfill many, many functions; need lockers (maybe 10) and a gathering room.
A room in the facility is designated for the volunteers. We will add lockers for the volunteers to the project.
Volunteers should have access to the property for walking dogs without having to pass through the busy lobby area.
We will add a gate to the south east fence enclosing the facility.
Retail – Need people food and drink (vending machines).
Space for the retail operation has been set aside, however no plans have been made for what products will be available. We will consider this idea when we begin that planning.
Please provide examples of how customer flow might work in the facility
We will provide a walkthrough at the 4/29 meeting.
I think as much as possible should be in public view. When ACO’s take animals off the truck, they need to know that someone may see them if they are too rough in handling animals.
We have made as much of the facility as possible open to the public. However there are some functions that should be performed away from the public in order to protect the public and the animals. Incoming animals may be severely injured and need immediate access to veterinary care. Incoming animals may be aggressive and need to be confined away from the public while they settle into the shelter environment. Additionally, visitors being exposed to some functions within the shelter can negatively impact shelter visitation. Reduced visitation will result in lower live outcomes so we want the shelter to be a pleasant place to visit. The performance of animals control officers including (animal handling skills) is regularly monitored by supervisors.
Comments:
“I like the flow of the facility and I like the great trees.”
“I like that there aren’t a bunch of doors. Very Open”
“Honor No Kill Policy.”
“I like the design and the use of recycled materials.”
“Bug Eyes On Cats.”
“No Incinerator.”
