Furry felines will be lounging in luxury in their new adoption facility at Alachua County Animal Services, thanks to some help from UF.
Animal Services will open a new adoption facility this week within its current building.
The facility will include colony-style housing for cats rather than individual cages.
The new housing includes cages with several rooms that are connected through circular portals, allowing the felines to move between the spaces to socialize.
The new facility was designed with help from UF’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
Veterinary faculty and students advised county animal services staff on what features would be best when housing the felines.
Funding for the project came from donations from individuals and organizations to Alachua County Animal Services.
Vernon Sawyer, acting director for the animal organization, said the new facility will give cats more room to live and play. He said this is important because cats are prone to upper-respiratory problems and infections when they’re stressed.
“This new facility will give the cats a bigger living area and a place to play, exercise and socialize,” Sawyer said. “We think it will keep them healthier and happier.”
Sawyer said three to four cats will be housed together at a time, and the new areas will include cat trees and other toys for the animals.
The project has been in the planning stages for about five years, he said, but it had been stalled numerous times due to budget constraints.
He credits the project’s much-awaited completion to UF’s assistance.
Sawyer said UF veterinary students come weekly to examine and treat animals.
Gwen Jones, administrative coordinator for ACAS, said the organization encourages anyone with a love for animals to volunteer.
Alachua County Animal Services plans to have a “Cinco de Meow” open house from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. May 5 at 3400 NE 53rd Ave. to celebrate the new adoption facility.
Nina, a stray brown tabby cat, lays in the arms of Vernon Sawyer, acting director of Alachua County Animal Services, Tuesday afternoon. Soon some of the cats will be moving to a new cat adoption facility in the lobby that includes two- to four-room cat condos.
