by Greg Lincoln
Bethel Friends of Canines (BFK9s) Executive Director Jesslyn Elliott presented City Council with an update on the state of the Bethel City Animal Shelter during their July 23rd, 2024 regular meeting – and it is dire.
“It needs to be replaced, it’s on it’s last leg,” said Elliott. “Soon it will not be a safe space for humans or animals.”
“Last year over 200 animals came through the shelter,” Elliott continued. “This year we are at 134 year to date, we expect that number to surpass last year.”
“The first thing that everyone does when they come through the doors is react to the pungent odor of the building, our pound needs help,” Elliott said.
Member of council were invited to come tour the building and a couple did go. For the ones that couldn’t make it, Elliott shared packets of photos from the building during the meeting so they could see.
She listed the needs of the current building.
The old drainage system leaks urine, feces, and water onto the floor making it unsanitary; there is no system to move air around, the post and pad foundations are leaning, there is no second or emergency exit in the building, none of the doors close or latch, and the kennel area floor is wood and porous and cannot be disinfected properly. Maintenance has done numerous amount of repairs, but still problems persist.
“The spread of disease increases tremendously especially parvo, which we have a high rate of here. Not only is it highly contagious, and it spreads like wildfire, but the probability of death from parvo is very high,” said Elliott.
The shelter is also used as a low-cost spay and neuter clinic open to the community when veterinarian Dr. Laurie Mullins is there – a much-needed service.
Also advocating for a new shelter was Eileen Arnold, Board Chair for Bethel Friends of Canines. She thanked the City of Bethel for their excellent partnership with BFK9s. She asked them to consider budgeting more funds towards a new pound.
“We know that the city staff took steps to build a new animal shelter last year, it was in the budget in 2023,” said Arnold. “I believe a proposal went out and bids came back but I think all the bids came back much higher than what was budgeted. So I expect that is why we don’t have an animal shelter yet, because what came back was what was not budgeted in the City of Bethel … what we are asking you all today is increasing that line item so that we could get this done.”
“A new animal shelter should be a high priority, mostly because of the age of the current facility … and mostly because of the health and safety issues that Jesslyn just outlined for you,” she added.
The longer we wait, the more expensive it’s going to become as well as becoming more unsafe. Arnold also strongly recommended that the City consult with an agency that specializes in building animal shelters.
“If we are going to do this, we ought to do it right,” she said. “It should be somebody who is used to figuring out a drainage system…”
BFK9s said if not this year, then at the latest – next year. BFK9s pledged their support to the City in this endeavor.
Others also voiced their support for a new pound seconding what the previous speakers spoke of: Nancy Elliott, a 40-year resident of Bethel, longtime Bethelite Susan Taylor, and also Susan Sookram.
This concluded the People to Be Heard portion of the city council meeting.
Congratulations to the City of Bethel who was recently awarded a no-kill status from Best Friends Animal Shelter, a world-renowned organization in animal welfare.
