El Paso Animal Services says improvements needed at Morehead shelter

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- City council will hear from El Paso Animal Services Monday about its progress at its shelter at the former Morehead Middle School.

In September, the council unanimously voted to purchase the former school, to be used as a shelter. One side of the shelter would be used for emergency sheltering migrants, and the other for Animal Services. Mayor Oscar Leeser said after the council's vote, the two facilities would be entirely separate.

According to a presentation that Animal Services is expected to give Monday to city council, the facility to be used to shelter animals is a work in progress.

The animals are currently being held at the old El Paso Times building in Downtown El Paso, which the city bought in 2021. They were moved there after a disease outbreak at the Animal Service's shelter on Fred Wilson last year.

COMPLETED OR SOON-TO-BE COMPLETED

Animal Services says it has already completed sealing the facility's floors, and is currently working on replacing a compressor for its HVAC system, installing fire protection, fixing broken windows, and providing network access to WiFi.

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The presentation also outlines several improvements Animal Services says are needed. The current housing, a single large warehouse, only has two water sources. There are no floor drains, or sound dampening: which is something used to decrease unwanted noise levels.

Because of the current lack of sound dampening, Animal Services said it is difficult to communicate with the public due to noise levels caused by dogs barking.

Animal Services said the current parking situation is also difficult, and there are improvements needed to plumbing, and gaps in the facility that need to be filled.