Editor's note: This story has been updated to include December intake records from Montgomery County Animal Services
At a Feb. 8 Commissioners Court session, Montgomery County commissioners received a briefing from the county’s animal shelter director, Aaron Johnson, on struggles with intake, or the shelter’s ability to receive animals.
Johnson said the shelter, which accepts intake by appointment, was already struggling for capacity. Officers instead ask callers to hold on to animals for a maximum of two weeks until animal shelter staff can provide a vaccination to limit the spread of diseases, though Johnson said in some cases they can take the animals in.
“Appointments are going out within a day or two, which is much better than any other organization in the area,” Johnson said. “It’s also really helped our disease control to spread out the animals.”
Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Walker, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack reported residents calling about the animal shelter rejecting potential intake.
“We have received a lot of calls. I just really have a problem that you and your team provide a service and you work for all the people of the county, and it is not acceptable for you to tell anybody that they’ve got to keep the dog for two weeks,” Noack said. “I don’t think that works, and I think that is a huge problem.”
Johnson also said the shelter turned away animals that have been intentionally trapped or are already pets with microchips.
The shelter had previously closed intake services in August due to struggles with distemper, a contagious respiratory virus. Stray intake by appointment reopened in October.
Johnson also asked commissioners about the possibility of revisiting interlocal agreements with Montgomery County municipalities who use county animal services. In the county, only Conroe and Willis maintain their own animal service departments, Johnson said.
According to records on the animal services website, the shelter had a total of 223 animals either in the shelter or being fostered at the end of December, the most recent entry.
New shelter planning underway, costs unavailable
Johnson also said planning was underway on a new animal shelter building and that he was optimistic a proposal could be presented to commissioners when budget hearings begin in the summer.
Johnson told Community Impact Newspaper the current planning focus was putting down what the new shelter would look like and flaws that should be eliminated from the current building.
“Capacity is a huge, huge issue, and as the county is growing, it will be a bigger issue,” Johnson told commissioners.
Johnson did not have specifics of the plan available.
Animal shelter incinerator delayed
Commissioners received an update on the shelter’s incinerator, which had $50,000 in funding from Noack’s budget approved in March. Johnson said in March that the total cost of the incinerator would be $315,000.
Johnson told Community Impact Newspaper delays in installation of parts meant the incinerator would not be operational for “a few months.”
In a December 2020 Commissioners Court meeting, Johnson said the shelter would work with the Conroe Animal Shelter to use its incinerator for disposal, though he noted its capacity was limited in comparison to the county incinerator.
