CITY NEWS
Pearland Animal Services Unleashes New Shari D. Coleman
Animal Shelter The Shari D. Coleman Animal Shelter will open its doors to the public and animals this summer. The new 21,000-square-foot shelter is part of the City of Pearland’s Public Safety Complex located on Freedom Drive. The new animal shelter includes dog runs for 90 canines and cat kennels for 66 felines--drastically increasing the shelter capacity compared to the former animal shelter. In addition, the new animal shelter will include a medi- cal suite, a quarantine area for quarantined animals, an adoption center with individual meet-and-greet rooms, a veterinary service room, a laundry room and food stor- age areas. The new facility will meet all state laws and mandated codes for animal services and will improve the quality of life for the animal residents and Animal Ser- vices staff. “Our first obligation is to public safety,” said Animal Services Manager John Fischer. “Having a more centrally located, modern facility will allow us to more efficiently respond to calls for service from our residents while also making the shelter more accessible to all of Pearland.” Dedicated staff and office areas in the new shelter will also increase administrative and professional develop- ment efforts for Pearland’s Animal Services division. “While I am certainly very excited to finally have a veteri - nary suite on site, I am most excited about the space for training within the new shelter,” said Fischer. “Pearland has become a hub for quality, modern training within the Police Department and we are excited to have Animal Services continue that commitment.” The previous animal shelter, located on Old Alvin Road, was built in 1995 has since undergone multiple expan - sions, culminating in the building’s final 10,100-square- foot size. When it became clear that the shelter had met and exceeded its capacity (due in part to the City’s significant growth in the last 20 years), a needs assess -
ment was performed. The assessment revealed deficien - cies with animal housing and state health standards that require the City to bring the facility up to the standards of a modern animal shelter and adoption facility. In May 2019, voters approved the proposition for a new animal shelter in the 2019 Bond Referendum. Later that year, City Council unanimously approved the new shelter to be named after former Animal Services manager Shari D. Coleman, who passed away earlier that year. “The Shari D. Coleman Animal Shelter is designed to meet the needs of the City now and far into the future,” Fisch - er said. “We know Pearland cares about the pets in our community and this shelter reflects that.” The City of Pearland’s Animal Services and Adoption Center protects animals and promotes pet adoptions. The Shari D. Coleman Animal Shelter will provide greater access to information, adoption services and assistance.
8 / Pearland in Motion / Fall 2022
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