Richmond Animal Care and Control will get its new shelter in the Fan
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) is one step closer to opening a new shelter following a Richmond City Council meeting Tuesday night. During a regularly-scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the council approved two ordinances relating to this new shelter -- the “Richmond Animal Care & ControlAdoption Center” -- on a 7-2 vote, paving the way for RACC's expansion. The first will allow the city to allocate $2 million in funds for this purpose in its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Said funds will be transferred from the city's Department of Public Works’ Commerce Road Improvement Project. The second will allow the city to use those funds to acquire the properties the shelter will open on, located in the Fan District. PREVIOUS: Richmond City Council consider new Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter Dozens of people came before the council both in-person and virtually to speak to the importance of giving RACC a new shelter during the meeting. They emphasized the value of RACC as a fixture in the Richmond community -- one that helps "both pets and people," as one commenter said. RACC itself has said that a new shelter will not only allow it to house more animals, but to provide better care for the ones it already takes in, as its current Chamberlayne Avenue shelter is not big enough. RACC spokesperson Christie Peters spoke to this -- among several other concerns facing the shelter and its staff -- before the council on Tuesday. The two councilmembers who voted against the new shelter said they would have preferred for these millions of dollars to be allocated towards a homeless shelter, which the two councilmembers said they have been trying to fund -- to no avail -- for some time. Ultimately, these ordinances needed at least six votes to pass and they each got seven. The new shelter will open at 2310 W. Cary Street. The city will also purchase the adjoining 2311 Herbet Hamlet Alley. The W. Cary Street location will serve as an adoption center, allowing the Chamberlayne Avenue location to focus more on other necessary services. Peters said during the meeting that she hopes the new W. Cary Street shelter will be operational within the next year.
VENN
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) is one step closer to opening a new shelter following a Richmond City Council meeting Tuesday night.
During a regularly-scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12, the council approved two ordinances relating to this new shelter -- the “Richmond Animal Care & Control
Adoption Center” -- on a 7-2 vote, paving the way for RACC's expansion.
The first will allow the city to allocate $2 million in funds for this purpose in its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Said funds will be transferred from the city's Department of Public Works’ Commerce Road Improvement Project. The second will allow the city to use those funds to acquire the properties the shelter will open on, located in the Fan District.
PREVIOUS: Richmond City Council consider new Richmond Animal Care and Control shelter
Dozens of people came before the council both in-person and virtually to speak to the importance of giving RACC a new shelter during the meeting. They emphasized the value of RACC as a fixture in the Richmond community -- one that helps "both pets and people," as one commenter said.
RACC itself has said that a new shelter will not only allow it to house more animals, but to provide better care for the ones it already takes in, as its current Chamberlayne Avenue shelter is not big enough. RACC spokesperson Christie Peters spoke to this -- among several other concerns facing the shelter and its staff -- before the council on Tuesday.
The two councilmembers who voted against the new shelter said they would have preferred for these millions of dollars to be allocated towards a homeless shelter, which the two councilmembers said they have been trying to fund -- to no avail -- for some time.
Ultimately, these ordinances needed at least six votes to pass and they each got seven.
The new shelter will open at 2310 W. Cary Street. The city will also purchase the adjoining 2311 Herbet Hamlet Alley. The W. Cary Street location will serve as an adoption center, allowing the Chamberlayne Avenue location to focus more on other necessary services.
Peters said during the meeting that she hopes the new W. Cary Street shelter will be operational within the next year.
