Dubbo's "outdated" and "struggling" animal shelter could get a multimillion dollar makeover under a development application currently on exhibition.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The plans - estimated to cost $5.5 million - would see a modern expansion to the council-run facility with the capacity to accommodate almost 150 cats and dogs at a time.
The Dubbo City Animal Shelter currently receives over 2,500 animals each year with numbers on the rise.
In their application, the Dubbo Regional Council says the existing pound is "ageing" and "struggling to meet community demands due to population growth in the region".
They say the new, purpose-built facility would boost the shelter's capacity to keep up with future demands and provide a better quality of care for the animals being housed there.
If approved, the proposed new buildings will be built on-site to the east of the existing shelter. The existing buildings will be retained, but not all used, when the new facility is operational.
The expansion will include a large, single-storey barn style building to house the animals and accommodate an on-location veterinary clinic and grooming area. A smaller administration building will also be constructed, with a breezeway connecting the two.
The new shelter will have space for 65 healthy dogs, with a separate room for puppies, and 22 healthy cats.
Special isolation rooms will be able to accommodate 16 sick or diseased dogs and 12 sick or diseased cats and an adoption area would have space for 12 cats and 12 dogs ready for their forever homes.
Dangerous dogs will be housed in a separate room with eight pens.
There will also be outdoor exercise areas for the animals including a running area and five grassed pens for dogs and four grassed cages for cats.
As well as providing housing and care for lost and stray domestic animals, the Dubbo City Animal Shelter provides microchipping, registration and rehousing services and sells ID tags and dangerous dog merchandise.
A new parking area with space for two disability accessible parking spots and large vehicles like the Animal Welfare League's vet bus is also being proposed.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app here. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens.
