Why Does East Ridge Animal Services Need a new Facility? In 2012, East Ridge Animal Services (ERAS) cared for 606 animals. Euthanasia rate was 24%. In February, 2013 it began operating as a “No Kill” shelter. Protocol for “No Kill” means that no savable animal be euthanized. In 2013, 930 animals were fortunate enough to find their way to ERAS. The now, “No Kill” shelter ended the year with a 3.3% euthanasia rate. The increase in numbers from 606 in 2012 to 930 in 2013 is attributed to animals being abandoned in East Ridge due to our “No Kill” status. Even greater numbers are expected this year. The City of East Ridge Animal Services Division is a full spectrum, State certified animal control services agency. Some of the services provided by ERAS include investigating reports of animal abuse and neglect, bringing to prosecution cases of animal cruelty, capturing vicious animals, impounding stray dogs, removing dangerous wildlife, and providing after-hours response for animal-related emergencies. ERAS serves the city of East Ridge, TN, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year with an extremely dedicated staff of only 3 officers. Daily they are responsible for animal care which means that 365 days a year, the animals must be fed and watered and their kennels cleaned. The shelter is open for adoptions or surrenders Monday through Friday, 10am-6pm (5pm in the winter months). They are available for regular service calls from 8am-6pm (5pm in the winter months) Monday through Friday. From 6pm-8am, emergency calls are answered and responded to. The dedicated and determined staff is and has been “making do” with the outdated and antiquated facility. It was designed and built and used as a dog pound where animals came in, were held three days, and if not picked up or adopted within those three days, they were killed. This is how many old school East Ridge residents know the facility. Now, the average stay for an animal at the shelter is approximately 2-3 weeks before they are either claimed by their owners or adopted to a new home. Many new ER residents do not even know that the city has an animal shelter. It is located at the end of a dead end commercial street and abuts to the sanitation department lot for the city where the garbage trucks are parked next to the kennels sharing the filth, the smell, the vermin, and the infestations. On the other side of the facility is the waste water treatment plant. And to add insult to injury is it in a High Risk Flood Zone. And if you know anything about East Ridge, a designation as a High Risk Flood Zone means that it will definitely get flooded. It needs a new location that is visible, inviting, clean, safe, and secure. The one and only “office-type” room at the facility is a single open room about 12ft X 20ft. It serves as the office of the Director, the officers’ staff room, the volunteers’ room, the interview room for adoptions, the animal and prospective new family’s ‘meet and greet’ room, the animal surrender room, the vaccination room, and the lunch room. The only bathroom with the only office storage cabinet in it opens directly off the “office”. There is one phone, one computer, one desk, one file cabinet, one counter, and 2 shelves that serve the entire organization for all these purposes all day every day. The feed room serves triple duty as a storage room, euthanasia room for the few unadoptable animals, and the washroom. It is approximately 8 X 8. In a very small detached storage building the large amounts of food are stored in garbage cans as well as extra large carriers and crates. The kennels themselves are cramped and there are about half as many as needed to house the animals properly. They share adjoining drains meaning that all wasted are washed through the kennels downstream. In the new facility there will be individual drains for each kennel to aid in sanitation and disease control. Also the kennels are adjoining so that the dogs are able to stretch through the chain link fence to slightly reach each other. This creates unnecessary fussiness and aggravation. There are also drainage grates in each kennel that the dogs’ toenails get hung on. There is no grass, no secure play yard, no way for these dogs to just be dogs to play, sniff, and run. The only exercise they get outside of the chain link and concrete kennel is at the end of a leash by dedicated volunteers that come by to take them for a walk off the property on the street or adjoining commercial property that does not belong to the shelter. The cats are housed in an old small portable trailer that is in disrepair. It has six permanent kennels, no adequate air circulation, no running water, and no place to securely meet and greet the cats by a prospective new owner. Also the cat trailer is not compliant with the American Disabilities Act. The only access to the trailer is up a flight of steps. The staff is assisted by a dedicated large group of volunteers and supporters. Daily, volunteers come and participate in some capacity, some by taking pictures of dogs and cats for Facebook and some by socializing and walking the dogs and by assisting in offsite adoption events. There are cats located at Ft. Oglethorpe Petco for adoption and volunteers keep their kennels cleaned and feed them every day. This is 2015, not 1955. A new facility is a no-brainer no matter what it takes.
