Richmond, va. (Wwbt) – Most people see dusty floors, broken color and free spaces, but for the Richmond Animal Care and Control Director Christie Chipps Peter sees a dream that has become true.
“We hope to have cat apartments that will be glass or plexiglass so that you can enforce this wall so that the cats can see and people can see the cats from the outside when they walk along the street,” she said.
Last November, the Richmond city council approved the financing for the purchase of the building on West Cary Street.
“It is such a beautiful room and I think you wouldn't expect that from the outside.
The 10,000 square meter room used to be a art studio and a boat and a jeep dealer.
From July, RACC can use the 1.5 million US dollars that the city has assigned for renovation work, and the animal shelter has already stopped an architect to design the interior of the building.
However, RACC wants the community to be part of this new era and asked for contributions on Facebook.
“People sent us really great things that I saved and sent to our designer and said:” Is that something we can do? “, Said Chipps-Peters.
Together with CAT owner apartments, other ideas are angled dog kennels, so that dogs do not constantly bark together, convert a bathing station and the open space in the back into meet-and-green rooms, adoption offices and a play pen.
“It is such a large and beautiful room that is suitable for everything we want,” she said.
The new location holds 25 dogs and 25 cats and only serves for adoptions. This will alleviate the place at the current location of the RACC Chamberlayne Avenue, which, according to Chipps Peter, is constantly capacity.
“We hope that every single kennel and cage for the animals that are here will be big and beautiful and peaceful, so that they are not stacked as they are in Chamberlayne,” she said.
While there is no fixed opening date, she hopes for the next summer. In the meantime, the shelter is happy to get to work and make this long -awaited dream reality.
“We want to take the time and make sure that we do everything right. If we open up, it's just like the best place,” she said.
People have sent their ideas by Friday, June 6th and can submit them directly to Chipps-Peters by sending Christie.peters@rva.gov by email.
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