Houston opens its own animal shelter

March 27, 2005

AMY MENEREY /Frontiersman reporter

HOUSTON - The concrete floors are scuffed and an assortment of pipes sticks out of the yellow walls, but the room is well-lit and clean.

To one side stands two large chain-link cages, in one a strong, healthy-looking Rottweiler, in the other a jumpy white-and-brown pit bull.

Beyond the echoes of the dog noises and human voices that reverberate from the otherwise empty room can be heard the distant meows of cats in the next room. Welcome to Houston's new animal shelter.

Beginning in 2002 with one part-time officer and no on-site housing, the city of Houston's Animal Safety and Protection department has come a long way. Now also on contract with the city of Wasilla, Houston's chief ASP officer, Paula Novosel, is quick to say how much things have improved since the city first decided to take control of its animal population.

"It's a huge improvement," Novosel said earlier this month. "I believe our reputation has improved. Public opinion has swayed and we're acquiring a good reputation."

The city, which has long chosen to be exempt from control by the borough when it comes to animals, began handling its own animal control three years ago and began taking Wasilla calls in July 2003. With no shelter of its own and new to the animal business, Houston took a lot of criticism while trying to establish itself.

Novosel, who has been Houston's chief ASP officer for the last year, has been in the animal business since 1993, first working as an officer with Kenai's animal control, then working with a Kenai veterinarian. She has big goals for Houston animal control, starting with the new facility that opened last September.

Previously a septic treatment facility owned by the borough and operated by Houston and then the borough before closing down, the building that houses the new shelter needed much improvement before animals could be brought in.

There was pump equipment to be removed and cleaning to be done before cages could be set up. There are currently three chain-link cages inside the building for housing of dogs and several cages in the cat room, along with outside dog pens.

Novosel would like to see a wash room put in for on-site laundering of pet bedding and concrete dividing walls between dog pens to prevent cross-contamination, she said. For now, she, ASP Officer Diane Holt and two student volunteers spend much of their time cleaning, she said.

"We're making do with what we have right now. It comes down to ingenuity and elbow grease," Novosel said. "There's lots of cleaning to do, and I do it too. I'm chief, but I'm still a kennel tech, too."

Novosel said the city is looking toward grants to upgrade the building. Eventually, she said, along with improvements to the shelter, she'd like to ultimately play a more administrative role and have a full-time staff of three officers in the field. Volunteers at the shelter also play a crucial role, she said.

"I knew I'd be working from the ground up," Novosel said. "It's going to take some time and people being involved to get there."

Novosel currently has two volunteers at the shelter: her stepson, Travis, a Houston High School student who is earning credit for the National Honor Society, and Ian Gallagher, a Mid-Valley High School student who receives work credit for his hours at the facility.

"It's interesting," the younger Novosel said of work at the shelter. "There's a lot more to animals than what people think."

The shelter is generally open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., but with such a small staff there may be times when an urgent situation arises and there is no one at the shelter. Novosel said she can always be reached by phone, however.

"If someone calls and they get the machine, it doesn't mean I'm not there," Novosel said, urging people to leave a message if she's busy with another case. "I will call back."

Novosel's residence is in Big Lake, she said, which makes it a short response time to either Houston or Wasilla when she gets an urgent call. The morning the Rottweiler and pit bull were taking up residence in the facility, she had already received reports of three dog shootings, one attack and had one animal set to take in for euthanization - the Rottweiler.

One of the benefits of having their own space, she said, is being able to provide a longer holding time for animals, and therefore less need for euthanasia.

Currently, Houston ASP has a contract with Palmer Veterinary Clinic to handle euthanasia and disposal of animals, Novosel said. Not something she looks forward to, she said, but euthanasia is sometimes just necessary.

"Ultimately it's about public safety," Novosel said, pointing out that the Rottweiler had a somewhat questionable personality and couldn't be trusted not to injure someone. "My job is to sort that out, to decide who's adoptable and who's not safe."

Before moving into the current facility, animals were boarded with Lynda Plettner at Plettner Kennels, or placed with foster families until adoption. Novosel said she still works closely with a variety of rescue groups and foster families, but is glad to get moved into their own facility.

"Our budget doesn't include taking care of medical needs, or long term," Novosel said. "But a little at a time. I have to remember that compared to where we were a year ago, we've come a long way."

Novosel also does animal vaccinations at the shelter, as well as injecting Avid chips, a small computer chip that can be scanned to determine ownership of an animal in case of loss or theft. She is looking to hire another animal control officer and is hoping to have a couple more volunteers at the shelter, she said.

"I encourage anyone to come and see what we're doing here. I'm not sure Wasilla people realize we're here to take care of problems," Novosel said.