Is Kerr County waffling on animal shelter? Indications are yes

During a benign Dec. 12 discussion about the future of the Kerr County Animal Services building, Kerr County Precinct 1 Commissioner Harley David Belew got the last word about a new voter-approved building.

“A reminder this is animal control,” Belew said during Monday’s commissioners’ court meeting. “This is not an animal shelter that we’re building. We seem to have that confused. We’re not building an adoption center. There’s a lot more to animal control than that.”

Kerrville Pets Alive, which helped shepherd approval of a more than $5 million bond to pay for the building, issued a statement rejecting Belew’s assertions.

“Kerr County voters passed Proposition C for a new “animal control SHELTER” as presented on the ballot and by the CIP committee,” KPA President Karen Guerriero wrote in an email. “The new shelter, as presented, would serve as both a rabies and animal control facility and shelter for stray and surrendered pets.

“The new animal control shelter, as presented, would include proper intake and isolation areas to prevent the spread of disease, a medical suite for vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries, and pet adoption areas.”

The county’s plans, drawn up by architect Peter Lewis, show two adoption areas — one for dogs and another for cats. And the ballot proposition makes it clear that it’s an animal control shelter.

The item was on Monday’s commissioners’ court agenda, placed there by Pct. 3 Commissioner Jonathan Letz, who oversees the current facility. Letz indicated that he supported what Belew was describing with a simple — “right.”

Of the county’s three bond measures, only Prop. C authorizing the construction of the shelter passed. Letz wanted to get part of the plan rolling by retaining Lewis to continue his work on the shelter, which will sit at Spur 100 and Texas 27.