PHOTO BY LISA CARNLEY The new Lampasas Animal Shelter is located on College Street. Completion of the Lampasas Animal Shelter on College Street marks the continuation of a collaborative effort between city and county officials to provide a place to house and care for stray and abandoned animals.

Kasey Dressel, former animal control officer for the county, is the new animal shelter supervisor under the Lampasas Police Department's authority. Her salary -- like the cost of the new building and associated operating expenses -- will be shared by the city and Lampasas County.

She serves as the rabies control authority, oversees quarantine procedures, deals with all animal bite and rabies cases, and handles the day-to-day business of the shelter.

Hollis Smith is the new county animal control officer, and Stacie Fesler handles the city's animal control duties.

Mrs. Dressel said along with the two animal control officers, she is hoping the entities will hire a second shelter employee that might allow the facility to offer more operational hours.

Clockwise from top left: Animal shelter supervisor Kasey Dressel and Piper are ready for the new facility to open; a head-on view of the dog kennel area; an individual dog cage; a medical office at the ready. Until that time, the shelter will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with afterhours calls handled by the Lampasas Police Department and Lampasas County Sheriff's Office.

Construction on the shelter began in January 2008 after a local veterinarian was no longer able to offer care to stray and abandoned animals.

Since that time, animals have been housed at a private facility contracted for that purpose while plans for the new building began.

The 6,600-square-foot facility has 58 dog runs, two quarantine pens and six isolation cages. The initial budget was about half-amillion dollars, Mrs. Dressel said, but it came in under costs.

Also included are a lobby area, Mrs. Dressel's office, a kitchen, laundry area, medical office, cooler, storage area, computer stations for animal control officers, animal cages and a large outdoor area. A barn is under construction to house cattle and horses, she said.

PHOTOS BY LISA CARNLEY "This new shelter is great," said the supervisor. "It doubles our space and is more than I thought Lampasas would ever have. It will make the care of the animals so much easier and better for them."

Mrs. Dressel said her wish list includes a fenced play yard for dogs. Until that time, hand-walking them will be the order of the day.

Equipment was moved in Sept. 3, and animal acceptance is projected in the near future after a state inspection and minor finishing work on the building.

When the facility opens, Mrs. Dressel hopes people interested in adopting animals will stop by the shelter.

New software will enable potential adopters to see photos of each animal available to good homes, she said. In about a month, patrons should be able to visit www.petango.com/ lampasasanimalshelter to view the animals needing homes. Currently, animal- seekers can visit the city of Lampasas Web site for adoption information.

Though the facility is large, Mrs. Dressel anticipates overflow at times, and that is when she will rely on area shelters to help by taking in animals.

About once each month, animals are shipped to several no-kill shelters and to specialized breed rescue sites. "I recently had golden retriever, great pyrenees and a pit bull rescue group pick up animals."

And Mrs. Dressel would like to involve volunteers for a variety of tasks, including fostering pets, helping clean cages, feeding and walking animals, and to provide general companionship for animals.

Community service workers are welcome as long as they don't have drug- or assault-related charges, she said.

The shelter also is in need of animal bedding, blankets, towels, pet toys, cat litter, cages and crates. "We especially need towels," Mrs. Dressel added.

An open house is tentatively scheduled Oct. 15 with tours of the facility and an adoption fair.

To contact the facility, phone 556-8586.