MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Manatee County has gotten a boost with a new high-tech animal shelter which is scheduled to start running next year.
The Mary E. Parker Foundation reached an agreement with Manatee County commissioners on Tuesday to transfer its Bishop Animal Shelter, located on 21st Avenue West, to the county to operate.
"We are thrilled and overjoyed by this so generous donation and in a lot of ways it's going to really change things for us," said Hans Wohlgefahrt with Manatee County Animal Services.
The recently built 24,000-square-foot shelter sits on a 38-acre parcel of land of which the county is getting about 18 acres. The donation includes an old shelter building that was built in 1958.
The facility includes washable bottom half walls, larger spaces and kennels to house cats and dogs, and other animals. There is an indoor astroturf recreation area and also an isolation area for sick pets
The building is fully equipped with several surgery and dental tables and a number of digitally enhanced surgical equipment, including x-ray machines to provide urgent care as animals come in.
"When it's really needed for like an animal that comes in from being hit by a car, it'll be wonderful to have that equipment and the ability to use it right away to care for that pet," said Wohlgefahrt.
It also has large refrigerators, washers and dryers individual flushable drainage to avoid cross-contamination.
County commissioners have formally accepted the donation but it came with an attached stipulation that the county would be required to maintain its 90 percent save rate and remain what's considered a "no-kill" shelter.
"We do not put down any adoptable animals and our save rate is 90 percent. So 90 percent of the animals we take in are adoptable, saved and adopted out," said Carol Whitmore, commissioner-at-large, Manatee County.
"The board was waiting for a certain time to give the county this facility. They are going to get 18 acres out of this 38 acres here," said Keith Pratt, Bishop Animal Shelter SPCA Manatee County.
County commissioners have said they plan to build another animal shelter within the next year or two to serve the eastern part of the county.