RN-T.com – Animal shelter plan would include a dog park new

Jason Broome, director of Floyd County Animal Control, would like to see a new 26,000-square-foot shelter that includes a dog park and adoption center.

His proposal for a $5.97 million facility funded through a 1-cent special purpose, local option sales tax draws on support from the community — including a crowd of at least 50 who came out for his presentation to the Rome-Floyd SPLOST Citizens Advisory Committee last week.

No site has been chosen, but Assistant County Manager Noah Simon said sites have been visited in North Rome, South Rome and West Rome. “We would require a site with considerably more exposure, and centrally located to benefit the community,” Broome said in his application.

The existing 7,500-square-foot shelter on Mathis Road has 88 cages for small animals and 41 large cages.

The new facility would have room for 80 large cages and 140 cages for small animals, Broome said.

That would mean hiring two more workers, but an expected 30 percent to 40 percent increase in adoptions would add revenue to offset the cost.

“Adding a dog park to the facility will also bring in visitors more frequently,” he noted, adding that “The additional room and acreage would also provide a suitable place to house other domestic animals such as horses, goats, pigs and many other animals we deal with frequently.”

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