Changes continue to occur at the Columbia-Marion County Animal Shelter and the city’s addition of a new (used) truck will be a big help to Animal Control Officer Brittney Yates and the volunteers that assist in the shelter.
The Columbia Board of Aldermen recently approved the purchase of the used truck from a local company, and Columbia Police Chief Michael Kelly made sure it was equipped and marked to look like the image he has for the unit.
“Even her uniform shirts match the lettering on the truck,” Kelly said before a recent Columbia Board of Aldermen meeting, where he showed the truck to members as they arrived. “We want this unit to be a continuation of our department and to be as professional as we can.”
Yates said the truck will help her in her duties of animal control and as shelter director.
“The new truck is going to allow me to do some things by myself,” she said. “If I don’t have somebody to go with me out on a call then I won’t have to worry about being able to handle an animal and pick it up. With the lift-gate on the back of the truck I don’t have to pick an animal up.”
At the shelter, located on Airport Road, Yates and some dedicated volunteers have been working on the building’s conditions.
“Right now we’ve still got a lot of cleaning to do,” she said. “We’re getting down to the nitty gritty now, getting spider webs and nit-picky stuff. When the weather calms down some and it gets a little bit cooler, we’ll go into painting. We’re in the process of getting a new sign painted and getting the place all prettied up, so people will know we’re here and they can come adopt.”
Yates has been pleased with the number of volunteers who have helped at the shelter.
“We’ve had too many to name, honestly,” she said. “We’ve had a group that has been a big help. I don’t know where I’d be without them. We’re always looking for volunteers. I take people that need community service; it’s a great place to do that. I’ve had some kids come and want to help feed or bathe dogs, and they are always welcome. We need them to do all kinds of things from washing and walking dogs to cleaning and painting. The dogs need to be out and gets some playtime and kids love to walk the dogs. They can bathe the dogs, feed, water and anything. We have an array of things to do at the shelter.”
The shelter has a number of good animals for adoption, according to Yates.
“I’ve got 13 puppies right now and four of them have to be bottle fed,” Yates said. “If somebody can foster dogs for me, it’s amazing what all we need. The shelter is no place for a momma with babies.”
Adoptions have been steady, but there are always animals that are available.
“We’ve got some great dogs,” Yates said. “Our cats don’t seem like they get a lot of play, but we’ve got a lot of wonderful cats in all sizes and colors. We don’t have many small dogs, but we’ve got good-sized and larger ones. We have a bunch of puppies”
Yates encouraged people to visit the shelter.
“I know it’s been hot and things have kind of slowed people down a little,” she said. “We hope to expand the adoptions when it cools down.”
Pictured Above: Brittney Yates stands by the new animal control truck which is outfitted with equipment to help her do her job. | Photo by Mark Rogers
