Fort Smith Animal Haven presents plan for a new animal shelter

Fort Smith Animal Haven presented plans for a new $6.2 million animal shelter to the Fort Smith Board of Directors at a study session Tuesday (July 30). The project includes an administration building with a surgical and recovery area and two 100-dog kennels.

The kennels would include indoor/outdoor kennels, where the dogs could go outside while staying in their individual kennels. The kennel space does not include cat areas, which would be included.

The planned kennels will have tempered air instead of air conditioning. Air tempering differs from air conditioning in that the system is designed to reduce the temperature inside the facility by 20 degrees relative to the outside air temperature. Because the kennels would have an inside and outside area, this is the best option for keeping air temperatures cool enough for animals, said Mike Ballman, president of Fort Smith Animal Haven.

The admin building will be 6,500 square feet. One kennel, which can hold up to 100 dogs, is planned at 12,800 square feet. The second kennel will be the same size.

Fort Smith Animal Haven is planning to build the administration building and one kennel and then eventually add the second building. The expected cost for the first segment of the plan is $5.1 million and includes both the buildings and dirt work and a pad for the second kennel, Ballman said. Fort Smith Animal Haven has not requested any funds from the city. They are fundraising to raise the necessary funds. The shelter does work with the city on animal control response.

The new shelter will be built at Chaffee Crossing on 5 acres donated to them in 2023 by the Arkansas Colleges of Health Education. The property is on Roberts Boulevard, across from Graphic Packaging. Ballman said that once ground is broken on the new facility, it will take 14-16 months to complete. Construction will not begin until funds are raised, he said.

Fort Smith Director Christina Catsavis suggested that the city could repurpose the old Bost building on 74th Street and Euper Lane near Carol Ann Cross Park as a temporary animal shelter. The building, which is about 15,000 square feet, was returned to the city when Bost vacated it in June.

“Bost moved out of the building last month and gave the building back to the city. …At least in the short term, we could clear it out and turn it into a shelter. It would be air conditioned. There are not a lot of buildings around the city that would be large enough to house the animals and be air conditioned. I think this building could be dedicated to animal services,” Catsavis said.