Sugar Land Animal Shelter To Be Renovated

SUGAR LAND, TX — Growing pains are inevitable, and the Sugar Land animal shelter is definitely growing. The 4,300-square-foot facility, 101 Gillingham Lane, is at max capacity and the city is looking at ways to expand or replace it.

The current building has space for 24 dogs and 35 cats, it's housing 41 dogs and more than 100 cats. Shelter staff were able to squeeze some extra animals in by doubling some up and housing others off site -- at Petsmart and with foster families.

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The city is considering options that range from a $2.9 million improvement that would expand the existing space to 9,100-square-feet and provide enough on site space for 55 dogs and 119 cats.

Another option would be to max out the existing land by expanding the existing building to 9,100-square-feet and add another 4,400-square-foot building.

This plan, which would cost $4.28 million, would allow the shelter to house 77 dogs and 141 cats, but it would mean that the shelter couldn't grow anymore at its current location.

The third option is to build a brand-new, $5.75 million facility. On a piece of land, to be determined in the future, the city would construct a 17,000-square-foot facility that would be able to house 77 dogs and 139 cats.

The new facility would also have dedicated space for shelter operations -- food preparation, grooming, laundry, training, etc.