3 Common Myths of Improving Animal Shelter Conditions

3 Myths of Improving Animal Shelter Conditions

1. “We need to raise 100% of the money we will need before we start planning our new shelter.”
2. “We don’t need an experienced architect; we can get the same results planning our shelter ourselves with local help.”
3. “If we build a new shelter big enough we will overcome our high euthanasia rates.”

Let’s take a look at each one of these “myths”:

1. The fact is you need to plan your shelter prior to raising money – why? Because the folks who will want to pledge their donations generally won’t do so until they see there is a clear plan for the new shelter.  This means you will need to spend SOME upfront money to determine how much shelter you will need; how much it will cost and what it will look like as both a floor plan and a building image.  Shelterplanners’ easy step by step approach provides you with the tools you need to communicate your vision – all at an affordable cost.
2. We visit dozens of shelters each year, some quite new.  We can always tell when the animal shelter designer was a novice at planning these very specialized buildings.  Because of their nature, shelters must be designed to function correctly so that staff can attend to the animals efficiently.  The right spaces must be included and placed in correct adjacencies in order to prevent the spread of disease and to support and house animals so they are comfortable and as calm as possible.  Finally, the building’s HVAC system and finishes are critical to preventing the spread of disease – and in the case of finishes they must be of sufficient quality that they can hold up under the harsh, wet environment.  Once the shelter is designed and built, mistakes that didn’t anticipate the real needs become all too obvious and you have to live with them for a long time.
3. While the shelter is an all-important support system for the animals and can enhance the potential for their adoption, the real means of achieving better live release rates can only be accomplished by implementing proven programs aimed at reducing intake and increasing adoptions - with the long term result – saving animals lives!  As architects we would love to say that it is our buildings that make all the difference.  Not true – implementing the right programs in any shelter, old or new, will bring the desired results if they are applied with consistency.  If they are not already doing so, we assist each of our shelter clientele with essential information to aid in their beginning the right combination of programs.  After all, the whole object is to find homes for every animal!

The best animal shelters design solutions combine thoughtful design and proven shelter programs.  For more information on how to receive affordable animal shelter design solutions, contact Shelterplanners at www.shelterplanners.com or 434-971-8848