HOUMA, LA (AP) — Officials say construction on the new Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter is expected to begin in early 2015.
Jeanne Bray, Terrebonne's capital projects administrator, tells The Courier’s Chris Leblanc the parish could advertise bids on the contract beginning in January.
"We just got approval from Facility Planning and Control, that's who handles the capital outlay money," Bray said.
Bray said she hopes construction will begin on the shelter, which will be at La. 24 just north of U.S. 90 in Gray, by March of next year.
Project architect, New Orleans-based Perez, APC, is working with Massachusetts-based architect Stephen Jensen who specializes in animal shelter design.
The $3.5 million budget for the shelter came from local, state and federal sources; Houma-Terrebonne Public Trust Financing Authority; Terrebonne Parish; the animal shelter; and the local advocacy group, Friends of the Terrebonne Animal Shelter.
The shelter in east Houma, which was built in the 1960s, contains 16 dog runs, 39 cat cages, a building to house ill animals, a portable shed for animals not ready for adoption and the veterinarian's office.
