Bond For New Pocatello Animal Shelter Will Be On November Ballot

A brand new animal shelter could be coming to Pocatello if voters approve a bond.

The 40-year-old, run-down animal shelter has seen better days.

“There’s a critical need for a new animal shelter. Ours is in deplorable shape,? City Councilman Steve Brown said.

There are holes, cracks, and corrosion all over the facility.

Staff said that whenever it rains, some areas get flooded out.

“The shelter itself is an area that has a lot of disease that you can be exposed to,? Animal Services Director Mary Remer said.

One thing that contributes to the unsanitary state of the shelter is that drains sit in the middle of the aisle between the dog pens, so any fluid runs right through where people walk.

“Anytime a dog jumps around and spills their water or anytime they urinate, it all comes into the middle of the aisle. And people have to walk through that,? Remer said.

So this November voters will have the choice to approve a bond, setting aside between $2.5 and $3 million to build a brand new animal shelter.

To pass, the bond will need to win 2/3 of the vote.

In a survey done by the city, 80 percent of responders said they would support a new shelter.

“I understand that the difference between that, is that it was asking ‘Do you support it?’, but ‘Would you pay for it?’ is a whole different route,? Remer said.

To get millions of dollars in taxpayer funds, supporters may need to work hard to sell the shelter plan to the public.

“In this economic climate right now, people are going to have a hard time wanting to pass a bond. But I think if they hear the story and they hear the need, they’ll come on board,? Brown said.