BY SHELBY POWELL - REPORTER
Swain County has opened up a new animal shelter for community members to come for adoptions, to collect lost pets and surrender animals they cannot care for.
The center, built along Highway 19 South in Bryson City, officially opened up on April 6 and is set to offer adoption, reunification, stray holding and surrender services to the public, alongside rabies vaccination services. The center will be used to quarantine domestic animals pending bite investigations provide volunteer opportunities to the public for animal care and provide education to the community on pet care according to county manager Lottie Barker. The shelter will be open for adoptions from Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., while surrenders will be conducted by appointment only between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The shelter may be contacted at 828- 538-4005
Animal Services will also use the shelter as an outpost to respond to dangerous or aggressive animals and partner with the Sheriff’s Office to investigate animal cruelty and neglect cases.
Building the shelter cost $648,882, Barker said, between groundwork and construction. This amount does not cover supplies or daily operational costs like beds, food or medication. Though the county does not presently have a dedicated animal services director, the shelter will be operated by county employees and use volunteer work to help ensure the animals are property cared for.
“Swain County now has another place that stray or abandoned animals can be brought to, held and adopted out,” Barker said. “The county will be able to eventually offer low-cost rabies vaccines to local residents and the future hope would be able to offer low-cost spay and neuter to residents as well.”
Reporter Shelby Powell can be reached at reporter@thefranklinpress.com.