Improvements to bark about: Mat-Su Animal Shelter begins renovations

There is plenty of activity to howl about at the Mat-Su Animal Shelter as work began this week on the first phase of their Dog Hall renovations, which will greatly improve the quality of life for the animals the shelter serves. The upgrades will align with industry standards.

The work means that the shelter will lose two full dog kennel rooms at a time during phase one of the construction, which could greatly reduce their ability to house dogs.

“We anticipate that the two dog kennels will be out of commission until the end of November,” said Christopher Loscar, Director, Mat-Su Borough Animal Care and Regulation.

It is currently estimated that phase one of construction will finish in late November, which means the shelter will be working for just over a month without 22 kennels that they normally have.

“With this reduction, we will have to shift much of our kennel spacing to ensure we have an adequate space for the isolation room, puppy room, stray room and adoption rooms.” The renovations also mean that the shelter’s night drop

“With our temporary reduction of 22 kennels, we have had to take a long look at how we can best mitigate the animals coming in, so we can ensure that we are best serving existing animals and incoming animals.”

Loscar said it is not unusual for employees to find at least 10 animals in the Night Drop each morning. “These animals are often sick, aggressive, and lack adequate paperwork. Most of these animals have been surrendered by their owners.”

Loscar says this is not unusual, that it is part of a larger trend across the country where there has been an uptick in owners surrendering pets, while adoption numbers have gone down.

Meanwhile, Loscar said that the exterior Dog Hall remodel is near completion. The previous outdoor dog run was set up using chain link fences and suffered from poor design that lead to snow drifts, preventing the staff from fully utilizing the runs in the winter months.

“It’s a real game-changer. The new retaining wall and full roof will really beneficial for the dogs we care for.”

All of the work will ultimately mean a more efficient intake process with the consultation of other similar animal care agencies, national organizations such as the SPCA and NACA, and current veterinary recommendations by the AVMA.

One thing the public can do to help mitigate the number of animals ending up at the shelter is microchipping their pets.

“We updated Title 24 and are emphasizing microchipping as a definitive proof of ownership. It is efficient and will ultimately help reunite owners with their pets.”

Title 24 is the section of the Borough Code that governs animals within the Mat-Su Borough. This code, adopted by the Assembly, provides guidance and a set of rules for all to follow.

Another mitigation tool to help reduce stray and feral cats and dogs is getting pets spayed and neutered. The Mat-Su Animal Shelter is the only shelter in the state with an internal veterinarian on staff and is currently working to roll out a community spay/neutering program later this fall.

This week also marks “Less Adoptables Pets Week,” held the third week in September. It is reserved for pets that may have a harder time finding a home compared to puppy and kitten counter parts. These adoptables do not have anything "wrong" with them, but they may be often overlooked as they may need a home without a specific other animal, with older kids, or otherwise! People interested should check the Mat-Su Animal Shelter page on Facebook.

In the meantime, the animal shelter is asking for patience and understanding. If someone needs to surrender their pets, they are encouraged to make an appointment. If re-homing a pet is needed, there are options to consider, including PetFinder, Home to Home, and several Facebook groups like Alaska Pet Rehoming, Free Pets Alaska, Matsu Valley Online to Rehome, Alaska Pets for Rehoming (free), and Free Pets of Alaska.

During the closure, if you find a stray animal after 5 p.m., please contact the MatCom dispatch center at (907) 352-5401, and you will be directed to our on-call Animal Care & Regulation Officer.