Part of the city of Sugar Land’s animal shelter will be getting a facelift after City Council on Nov. 16 approved a $140,132.76 construction contract for facility improvements with Blue Ox Construction, Inc.

The shelter’s 2,400-square-foot “Whiskerville” building opened four years ago to house the shelter’s cats and kittens. Whiskerville includes a veterinarian room, a wildlife room, a break room and a managerial office.

Since it opened in 2017, Whiskerville has been used beyond the purpose for which it was originally designed, according to city officials.

Now, Whiskerville houses the shelter's cat population, its maternity ward, laundry and food preparation facilities, and a veterinary room with supply storage.

Additionally, most of the diagnostic testing and medication preparation takes place within Whiskerville. Potty training in the shelter's maternity ward has also exacerbated pre-existing moisture issues brought on by its poor drainage. Due to the building’s overuse and need for repeat sanitization methods on the facility’s flooring, the stability of the floor has been affected.

Blue Ox Construction, Inc.’s improvements to Whiskerville will include installing 24 additional piers, adjusting and leveling the building; repairing, leveling and adjusting existing piers affected by soil movement; removing and replacing deteriorating wood affected by termite damage with a termite metal shield; demolishing and removing existing vinyl floor and subflooring; and installing new subfloor and sheet vinyl flooring.

The shelter can house 62 dogs in the Barksburg area and 112 cats in Whiskerville. The project began in November and should be completed within 90 days.