The City of Dayton has opened a new animal shelter for stray and abandoned cats and dogs. City officials and the Trinity Valley Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The roughly 3,300-square-foot facility is at 2111 Waco St., behind the Dayton Police Department.
Mayor Pro Tem Tonya Smikal said pet adoptions will be held on site. City Manager Derek Woods said the shelter can hold about 32 dogs in indoor kennels, and it can add outdoor kennels during emergencies or periods of high demand. Police Chief Shane Burleigh said the building can be expanded in the future.
The shelter is staffed by two animal control officers, Danyell Trousdale and Makayla Darbonne. It is open to the public Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and those hours may change. It will take animals picked up within city limits, but adoptions are open to everyone. Residents can donate pet food and supplies if they arrange the donation in advance. Officials said a volunteer program is being explored, but legal issues must be addressed first.
The shelter cost about $800,000, funded through certificates of obligation the Dayton City Council approved in 2023. Woods said employees from several city departments worked on the project.