Perry animal shelter welcomes new building

PERRY -- Construction workers were busy dismantling a mobile building beside Houston Healthcare in Warner Robins on Monday afternoon. The building will be transported to Perry’s animal shelter this week.

The building, which is 24 feet by 54 feet, was used as temporary doctor’s lounges during Houston Medical Center’s $40 million expansion that began in 2013. Two weeks ago, Perry City Council voted 4-1 to accept the building as a donation from Houston Healthcare for use at its animal shelter on Ball Street.

“We have a spot marked out (at the shelter),” City Manager Lee Gilmour said Monday morning. “We met with representatives from the construction company, and they are planning on moving it out today or tomorrow. ... Then, early next week, they’ll come and do the final set up on it.”

The city hasn’t received an invoice for the move from Houston Healthcare, but Mayor Jimmy Faircloth estimated in a recent meeting that such work would cost around $13,000 or $14,000.

After the building is in place, Gilmour said the city will handle the installation of utilities.

Perry’s Animal Control Officer Angie Reed said the new building will house the administration office and that the current office will likely become a cat house.

“This building is in a little bit better shape than the cat house,” Reed said of the current office, also a mobile building. “I don’t know exactly what we’re going to do ... but I’m definitely excited about it.”

The donation of the building occurs amid the council’s exploration of future options for animal control. The current shelter is in disrepair and was deemed unacceptable by Faircloth, who said the city is considering outsourcing its services to Warner Robins or building a new facility.

Scott Westmoreland, who’s on Houston Healthcare’s board of trustees as well as Friends of Perry Animal Shelter’s board, said he hopes the building will be the focal point of the shelter.

“It’s a nice looking building,” Westmoreland said. “I just think this is a good starting point for a new shelter.”

To contact writer Laura Corley, call 744-4334 or follow her on Twitter @Lauraecor.

This story was originally published September 28, 2015 at 9:59 PM with the headline "Perry animal shelter welcomes new building ."