A new county-funded animal shelter is on its way to San Martin in a long-overdue project that proponents say will significantly expand South County’s ability to house, rehabilitate and find homes for countless rescued animals.
“This is exciting for us,” said Lisa Jenkins, who is in her third year as shelter supervisor and also acts as the interim program manager at the existing 40-year-old facility located on Murphy Avenue. “The current facility is quite antiquated. Looking at that facility, a lot of people don’t realize the great work and life-saving that goes on inside its walls.”
County officials were scheduled to unveil their plans for the proposed San Martin animal shelter at a Nov. 1 community meeting at the South County Office Building located at 80 Highland Ave., right near where the new facility will be built. The meeting was held after this paper’s print deadline. They are expected to break ground in early 2019, according to Jenkins.
The new shelter, which will replace the cramped quarters of the aging facility located at 12370 Murphy Ave., “will enhance animal care and safety with modern technology, include an upgraded adoption center, and add a barn to house abandoned horses and other livestock,” according to the county report.
A feasibility study completed in 2012 recommended an increase in space to safely and effectively care for animals, and evaluated 80 Highland Ave. as a potential location for the new 4.5-acre shelter, according to county staff.
The site will include a 36,000 square-foot, one-story shelter; a 2,500 gross-square-foot barn, and exercise yards; and a parking lot. An attractive and welcoming new facility will increase community engagement, raise awareness of animal welfare issues in the county, and increase the number of adopted pets.
“The proposed shelter facilities reflect the growing needs of the South County community for a larger adoption center, modern animal-care technology and temporary housing for abandoned livestock,” said County Supervisor Mike Wasserman, who represents District 1 where the new shelter would be located. “We welcome comments and ideas from residents to ensure that vulnerable animals are properly sheltered and ultimately find loving homes.”
The existing shelter houses approximately 3,000 dogs and cats each year, and is the only shelter in Santa Clara County that cares for large livestock and horses. The new plans will increase the number of horse stables to eight as well as have a pasture for the horses to exercise, rehabilitate and roam free, Jenkins shared.
“We’ve obviously been pushing for this for a long time,” Jenkins said. “I’m so excited. The possibilities just seem endless now….The community can get a shelter that they can be proud of.”
The new shelter will cost $26 million and was approved as part of the county’s budget.
Wasserman, along with representatives from the Animal Shelter Program, Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, Facilities Department and Planning Office, were expected to be on hand at the Nov. 1 meeting to lead the discussion and answer questions from residents.
“Animal Services is dedicated to helping the wide variety of homeless animals in the community; however, since it was not intended to house animals for extended periods, it is challenging to optimize their physical and mental well-being,” according to the county’s announcement for the new shelter.
