Carson City animal shelter being repaired; dog kennels closed

Dog kennels at Carson City’s animal shelter were closed Tuesday for perhaps a month.

Dogs there were transported to other locations temporarily while rodents were exterminated, as well as for other work at the aging facility.

The work, which City Manager Nick Marano said included extermination of mice and work toward asbestos remediation, should take three or four weeks, according to a news released issued by the Nevada Humane Society. The Reno-based society, under a contract with city government, has operated the shelter and run animal services since last October.

Dogs that aren’t considered stray will be housed temporarily at the society’s Reno location, 2825 Longley Lane, while those deemed strays will go to a boarding facility in Minden. Animal control officers will help return dogs to owners as before.

“During this time,” said Denise Stevens, the society’s chief operating officer, “dog adoptions will continue to happen at Nevada Humane Society — they will just take place in Reno at our shelter on Longley Lane.” She said cat adoptions will continue as they have at both the shelters in Carson City and in Reno.

Stevens said if a household pet “goes missing or gets out” owners may still reach society staff and animal control officers by telephoning (775) 887-2171.

“Meanwhile,” she said, “we are working with the city to ensure the maintenance is expedited as efficiently as possible so that we can resume complete shelter operations in a timely manner.”

The shelter and city were given 30 days by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to rid the Carson City facility of the rodents and deal with asbestos, Marano and a society spokesman said earlier. Meanwhile, the Board of Supervisors last Thursday awarded low bid status and a contract to Shaheen Beauchamp Builders, LLC, to construct a new shelter. Overall cost is about $4 million and ground breaking is expected within a month.