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City of Pecos Breaks Ground on Much Needed Animal Shelter

After much controversy over the current animal shelter, a new facility is on the way to Pecos.

By: Sarah Snyder
NewsWest 9

It's been a topic of controversy in Pecos for months.
Their pound isn't up to state standards, but several long-time neighbors decided it was time for a change and wouldn't take no for an answer.

"What they have now is just horrible, horrible for the animals you know," Long-time Pecos Neighbor, Teenie Crider, said.

It's got folks in Pecos talking.

"The old shelter is not up to state standards, it's filthy, it's dirty, we don't have room for the animals," Lori Hughes with the Humane Society of Pecos, said.

"We haven't had any place to have adoptions," Crider said.

This is the current animal shelter in Pecos. After visiting the facility a few neighbors decided it was time for a change, and they took it to the city council.

"We have to be their voice, we have to speak for them, because they can't speak for themselves," Hughes said.

"Really they got the ball rolling because a lot of us aren't aware the conditions we have in our own city," City Councilman Danny Rodriguez, said.

Up until now, the city couldn't afford a new one, but as Pecos continues to grow, they were able to collect the money they needed, and they broke ground on the new pound on Friday morning.

"Oh listen, I've been here 33 years and I've just prayed for this day," Crider said. "You just can't imagine how bad we needed it."

The new animal shelter will sit right behind the criminal justice center. The contractor says it will be 4500 sq. feet and cost the city $257,000.

"We'll have a decent shelter that is according to code with the State of Texas," Rodriguez said. "We'll be in compliance."

The facility will house about 50 animals at a time - much needed space as the number of stray dogs is growing.

"We have people here too also that they don't want an animal and they just dump it," Hughes said.

She and other nieghbors started the Pecos Humane Society and plan to work with the shelter to find these puppies a new home.

"We'll be able to take care of them better than we have in the past, and in the past, we have not done a very good job of it," Rodriguez said.

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