DuPage County Animal Shelter Getting Big Upgrades
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A $900,000 renovation was underway for the DuPage County facility for lost or stray animals, and officials said it will keep the animals healthier and calmer.
County Board Member Brian Krajewski said the upgrades at the DuPage County Animal Control building in Wheaton would improve lighting, soundproofing, and especially heating and ventilation.
"We have isolated between each of the rooms. Fresh air coming in and then the air going out help prevent the spread of diseases," he said.
The project is not using taxpayer funding. Most of the money comes from fees paid for rabies vaccination tags and for adopting animals from the shelter.
The Friends of DuPage County Animal Care and Control Foundation also kicked in a lot of the money.
Past president Deanna Wilkins said they have wanted to renovate the shelter for a decade.
"The lights are going to make them calmer, the noise with the HVAC isn't going to be so loud, and this is all just the beginning for Phase 2. We want to put an addition on," she said. "We're the fundraising arm, so we don't use taxpayer dollars. We go out, we fundraise to be able to help them do this."
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She said just put yourself in the paws of the animals at the shelter.
"It's overwhelming. It's really noisy, and then the other dogs get wound up, and then they wind each other up. So this is going to be a lot better for the dogs, that they could just calm down and now we can work on forever homes for them," she said.
The improved heating and air conditioning is also music to the ears of the facility's administrative assistant, Amanda Talsma.
"At this facility, there were a few problems this winter where we lost heat a couple times, and so the HVAC system, the new one is really going to help," she said.
That's one benefit both the animals and staff will enjoy.
Renovations could be finished by late May.
