The temporary animal impoundment facility at the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office remains a work in progress.
The Sheriff’s Office has been working to build a concrete slab, two runs, five kennels with drainage and a cover since last September. Originally projected to take just three months, there continue to be delays.
“Anything in construction and government, things tend to move slow,” Sheriff David Gabriel said. “When you have a construction property with the government, it’s really slow.”
The area is prepped for concrete, but it must wait for the plumbing system to be installed before the concrete can be poured. Other materials — the fencing for the two dog runs and the metal roof — have been purchased and are on-site.
They will be assembled by hand once the concrete is set.
The Sheriff’s Office received an estimate of $8,000 for the plumbing several weeks ago, but is searching for a more affordable deal.
“We can come out here and we can throw the money out there and then spend whatever and get it done quick,” Gabriel said. “But we don’t want to spend that money unnecessarily. We’ll be smart about it.”
Gabriel said the problem doesn’t need to be urgently addressed, as Oglethorpe County has less than four cases of impounded, dangerous or quarantined animals a year.
Once the shelter is built, the Sheriff’s Office will be in compliance to receive a license from the Georgia Department Agriculture, Gabriel said.