Logan County’s Fiscal Court unanimously agreed to move forward with building a new animal shelter to be located on Morgantown Road behind the recycling center.

There is currently a stone house that will be utilized by the shelter but indoor/outdoor kennels will have to be built on as will additional office space. Total cost for the project is estimated at $150,000.

The shelter has been run by the Logan County Humane Society for the past 20 years. The Humane Society received a $100,000 donation last year to go towards building the new facility. This money along with $2,000 in interest and approximately $7,500 in rent being paid by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) for occupying the top of the rock structure till November for Teen Court will be used for the new shelter.

The current shelter is located in the city/county park and has been in bad shape for some time. The structure was built by volunteers over 20 years ago.

Humane Society board president Gail Guiling said she is very appreciative to Fiscal Court and Judge/Executive Logan Chick for their recent decision to move forward with the project. “Although it is the county’s responsibility to provide a shelter that meets state statutes and codes, I cannot say enough about the court and judges continued support for the unwanted animals of this county.”

Plans for the new shelter have already been drawn up and are ready to go. The county will now have to advertise for bids to build the shelter which will hopefully begin this spring.

Judge Chick said the lease agreement to the AOC will expire in November; however, he didn’t think that would hinder construction. “We can work around them if we have to,” said Chick.

It was recently published that the Humane Society is almost at a no-kill status for dogs at the shelter.