Golden – Nearly every inch of the Table Mountain Animal Center is filled with barking dogs, restless cats and even an occasional swaying parrot.
The center, tucked into the southwest corner of Colorado 58 and Interstate 70, was built 30 years ago as a dog pound. In that time, humane shelter practices have changed substantially, but the center is stuck in the past.
“We don’t meet federal and state standards,” said Carole Pool, a member of the center’s board. “We need a new home.”
An intensive fundraising campaign will be launched in December to replace the 13,000-square-foot center with a building twice that size at a new location by 2008.
Outdoor outfitter Cabela’s wants to build a 230,000-square-foot “retail showroom destination” next door, “and we’re an eyesore,” Pool said.
Nick Fisher, the center’s executive director, estimates up to $10 million is needed to build a facility that can accommodate the county’s exploding pet population, and offer on-site medical services and activities such as obedience classes.
Currently, the center handles about 10,000 animals a year – making it the third-largest shelter in the state. Nearly 80 percent are adopted or returned to owners.
No animal is turned away, but there is only space for 150 dogs and 150 cats at a time. When the space limit is reached, the staff of 21 reluctantly turns to euthanasia. Others are cared for by “foster” families and are placed at several area pet stores to showcase them better.
The center also suffers from the aches and pains of an aging building, including cracking floors, moldy ceilings, leaky plumbing and inadequate ventilation. In 2004, maintenance and repair costs rose 36 percent.
Some dogs spend two or three days without seeing daylight, since there are no outdoor dog runs and they must wait for volunteers to walk them.
“It breaks your heart,” Pool said.
Cabela’s officials have told the county that they would like to take over the shelter’s space within a year after the proposed store opens in 2007 so the area can be landscaped as an attractive gateway to the store.
Jefferson County, which owns the building and the land, is looking at seven possible sites for a new shelter, including three owned by the county. One is the back portion of the current site, although it’s considered a last resort. The county will choose the two best locations in January.
Last week, the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners agreed to pay for architectural design work so the center can show potential donors what the facility will look like.
The center is now scraping by with money from agreements with the county’s cities, adoption fees and donations to the center’s foundation.
Pool acknowledged fundraising efforts won’t be easy, saying, “We have a long run ahead of us.”
Staff writer Ann Schrader can be reached at 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com.
