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Tulsa Animal Services Commission hears update on new shelter, staffing and donations
Summary
At its September meeting the Tulsa Animal Services Commission received a construction schedule for the new animal services facility, an staffing update including a part‑time veterinary contract up to $85,000, adoption totals from an August outreach and a $5,000 donation from Best Friends toward ACO equipment.
The Tulsa Animal Services Commission on Tuesday received progress reports on the new animal services facility, staffing and recent outreach that commissioners said is helping relieve shelter pressure.
Sherry Carrier, director of Tulsa Animal Services, told commissioners the construction schedule includes a sequence of concrete and structural work this month and a planned beam‑raising ceremony on Oct. 1. Carrier said crews poured one half of the concrete slab and that block, steel and the remaining slab pours were scheduled in mid to late September, with the beam‑raising targeted for early October.
Carrier also updated the commission on staffing and veterinary coverage. She said the shelter currently has a vacant clinic supervisor post, two open animal control officer (ACO) positions and one intake officer who is certified and ready to start. Carrier said the department completed a bid process for a part‑time veterinary contractor for the budget year and received a proposal “up to $85,000,” which she said should provide veterinary coverage a couple days a week for the remainder of the contract year.
“We had a total of 513,” Carrier said in reporting results from the department’s August adoption outreach, referring to combined dog and cat adoptions during the month. Carrier also noted the department’s overall save rate has risen since 2018: “Our save rate has jumped from 67% in 2018 to nearly 80% today.”
Commissioners discussed the shelter’s social‑media at‑risk list and returns of some adopted animals. Carrier said the list and event promotion help move animals into homes but also can produce returns, and that volunteers and communications support are important to drive adoption traffic and reduce staff strain.
On donations and equipment, Carrier said the department asked Best Friends for funding for ACO equipment and received about half of the $10,000 request; Best Friends provided more than $5,000 and the department still needs roughly $5,000 to meet the original request. Commissioners volunteered follow‑up assistance to locate remaining funding sources.
Procedural business: the commission approved minutes from its August meeting. The vote passed with one abstention; the transcript did not identify the abstaining commissioner by name.
The commission had no public comment signups and adjourned after the agenda items were completed. Members said they expect more staffing updates next month as hiring processes proceed and that they will notify commissioners about the planned beam‑raising ceremony for the new facility.
The meeting combined construction scheduling, operational staffing details, adoption outcomes and partnership updates that the commission said aim to reduce capacity pressure on the current shelter and support the move into the new facility.
