Animal shelter bond will make Pocatello ballot

In November, the city of Pocatello will ask voters for up to $2.8 million to build a new home for the city’s stray animals.

Monday morning the Pocatello city council officially voted to put the resolution on the ballot.

“It will be on this falls ballot. When you get out and vote for president, you will see it on there,” Animal Services Director Mary Remer said.

The $2.8 million will buy a brand new animal shelter set to build in the dirt lot right next to the current one.

Supporters said the current shelter is old and falling apart full of cracks and corrosion, not a safe place for animals or people to be.

“The one we have is in terrible condition. It really needs to be replaced,” City Councilman Jim Johnston said.

Besides health and safety concerns, shelter staff said it’s just not somewhere people want to visit, but the new facility could be a community center.

“Its hard for the public to come look, because it’s such a depressing place to come see. So we’re trying to get the new facility so that we can showcase our animals, the public will feel welcome, and we can take better care of the animals,” Remer said.

But for the bond to pass it has to clear a high bar, 66 percent of the vote.

“So I think it’s going to be very challenging but I do know we have a very hard strong core of people who want this to happen, and they’re going to be working very hard to make sure it passes,” Johnston said.