By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Development of a new animal shelter in St. Joseph is still being held up as Friends of the Animal Shelter and the city are at a crossroads.
Friends of the Animal Shelter Board Secretary Kathy Ermler says floor plans have been developed but no construction has happened because of a roadblock with city officials.
"We're sort of on a different page between the city, what the city and the staff want, and what we're capable of producing with $2.5 million," Ermler tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "So, I think once we get on the same page that things will develop and begin to build very quickly."
Ermler says that has factored into the delay, but on top of that the cost of materials continues to rise.
"It will probably double the price of what we could have possibly gotten before COVID and the supply chain problems," Ermler explains. "Those two things along with just the kind of doubling of prices and inflation really put a damper on our progress."
Ermler says right now a new shelter seems to be not high on the priority list but adds the need for a new shelter is critical.
"The size of the kennels, the areas, there's a meeting room in the current shelter that doubles as a lunchroom, a meeting room, a staff meeting, store the animals, for the toys, just everything," Ermler points out. "It's just not an appropriate place, it's not an educational place."
Ermler says with the current set up the shelter is loud and cramped and has no space for people to come in for educational experiences.
