Moore Animal Shelter Thrives in New Location
The Moore Animal Shelter and Adoption Center is thriving, reporting more adoptions than ever before. Now located along the I-35 access road on the south side of Moore, the new facility has proven to be a major success.
With increased foot traffic thanks to the highly visible location and a clean, inviting atmosphere, more animals are finding forever homes, said shelter manager Samantha Phillips. Public awareness has increased as well.
“We had outgrown the previous shelter a long time ago,” Phillips explained. “We can now house (the animals) properly. They’re so much happier here. They have more play-yards and more outdoor time. We aren’t in a huge rush before filling up again. We can take our time getting them adopted. We have the space to give them a fair shot.”
The former shelter’s limited size made it difficult to separate newly arrived animals from those ready for adoption. Fortunately, staff had the opportunity to weigh in on the new facility’s design, and their top needs were addressed.
“We have three stray dog rooms and a stray cat room now, plus intake or quarantine kennels and we have a recovery kennel. If we have sick animals they can be in a quarantine area. That way we’re preventing the spreading of illnesses and diseases,” Phillips said. “We have had zero kennel cough at the new shelter and maybe only one parvo dog, but it did not spread. We now have what we need to keep the animals safe and healthy.”
While the shelter is seeing greater success, Phillips said help is still needed.
“The shelter is bigger and because of that and the amount of animals we are getting in, it can be a challenge for staff to make sure everyone is getting outdoor time or giving baths. Some (volunteers) come in and take adoption pictures and socialize the animals,” Phillips said.
Volunteers must be 18 or older.
“We do provide everything the dogs need but sometimes there’s extra things the dogs enjoy. Sharing animals on social media posts helps so much. Social media has been great to have in our back pocket to get animals home, whether they’re lost or needing a new home. We are very thankful for our community support,” Phillips said.
A recent social media post requesting kiddie pool donations quickly led to several being donated. The staff says they feel fortunate to have such a responsive community.
While the shelter’s first year in the new building was focused on getting settled and training new staff to accommodate the increased space and intake volume, the year ahead will shift toward launching more community services and programs.
The building was designed with both current and future needs in mind. It includes a full medical suite that can eventually support an on-site veterinarian, something planned for the future. The shelter has already begun offering more affordable services, including $20 microchipping available daily, which wasn’t consistently possible at the previous location.
The staff is also hosting more group tours for schools and community organizations to educate the public about animal control, shelter operations and the services offered. In addition, the team has seen an increase in businesses reaching out to offer volunteer support.
By Ray Lynn Payton
