St. Charles County is laying plans for a second pet adoption center, located in the western part of the county. 

The planned, additional facility would be built on the grounds of the National Equestrian Center park at 6880 Lake Saint Louis Boulevard in Lake Saint Louis.

In August, the County Council approved spending $215,000 on civil engineering, and $927,000 on architectural and engineering services for the Pet Adoption Center West project. 

Plans call for a building that would house dozens of dogs and cats available for adoption. 

The County’s existing Pet Adoption Center at 4850 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters adopts out up to 2,000 pets a year. The facility was built in 1999 and can house up to 50 adult dogs. 

Twice since it opened, the facility has been renovated, adding more capacity and room for veterinary services. The shelter has a sterling reputation for cleanliness and living conditions, earning perfect scores with no violations in all its state inspections. 

“We run a great shelter now, but we are bursting at the seams and need more space,” says Katie Willis, Division Director of Humane Services. 

“We’re surviving through the foster program,” Willis says. “We have 30-50 dogs in foster homes at any time. We also have a program to watch the dogs of people who are temporarily homeless. We help them find a place for their animal until they get back on their feet.”

The new facility with larger individual kennels will help the physical and behavioral health of the dogs. 

“Bigger dogs need a little more room to move around,” Willis says. 

The current facility has struggled in recent years with occasional pet overcrowding, prompting the plan for a new supplemental pet adoption center farther west. 

The design and engineering phase of the project is expected to take several months. 

Groundbreaking could come sometime next year.

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