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San Angelo officials propose outdoor kennel ‘pods’ to reduce disease, cost and noise
Summary
Construction manager Al Torres and Animal Services Manager Amanda Wheedle presented a phased plan to build 3–4 outdoor kennel pods at the San Angelo animal shelter, highlighting improved airflow, disease control and long-term value; staff said just over $2 million is currently earmarked and design work is pending.
Al Torres, construction manager for the City of San Angelo, described a proposal to replace the large indoor kennel layout with smaller outdoor "pod" buildings that would improve airflow, reduce noise and lower disease transmission at the animal shelter. "What we propose to do is completely overhaul the exhaust system," Torres said while outlining HVAC, drainage and ceiling modifications for the existing facility and the pod concept for new construction.
Torres and Amanda Wheedle said the plan calls for roughly 24–25 runs per pod (about 96 runs for four pods) and that the pods are intended to be a long-term asset rather than a temporary off-site shelter. "Rather than housing a large kennel, we have smaller, 20 25 kennels per building pods that are located outside the facility that give the dogs exposure to outside air," Torres said. Staff emphasized the design’s veterinary and operational benefits: outdoor access, guillotine doors for runs, improved sanitation, and the ability to isolate plumbing or mechanical failures to a single pod.
On cost, Torres told the committee the City has just over $2,000,000 earmarked for the project. He listed design and administration estimates that had once been shown as $900,000 but said the realistic figure for design/admin is closer to $300,000; pod construction was estimated at $350,000–$500,000 each depending on finishes. Torres said the council has directed staff to explore building all four pods and that staff will return to council if additional funding is required.
Staff described phasing: prioritize the pods (three are fundable now) and defer a larger administration building to a later phase. Committee members asked about engineering responsibility, electrical capacity and lessons learned from a site visit to a shelter in Abilene; Torres said Friese and Nichols will provide architecture and engineering for the current phase and that the Abilene visit helped staff avoid known plumbing and AC pitfalls.
The committee did not take a binding vote on the pods at this meeting but received the technical and budget overview and asked staff for additional cost and schedule details.
