Animal shelter foe voices concern
Prospect of noise worries proposed site’s neighborBy BILL SHEA, Messenger staff writer
Article Photos
Plans for a new animal shelter in Fort Dodge have at least one resident worried that she'll have a bunch of noisy four-legged neighbors.
''What concerns me is the noise of the dogs, the barking,'' Shirley Zuspann, of 3138 Eighth Ave. S., said Thursday evening.
''Dogs barking are a nuisance,'' she added.
During a meeting about the construction of the proposed Almost Home Adoption and Education Center on South 32nd Street, she repeatedly stated her fear that the sound of dogs barking at the shelter would ruin the quality of life in her neighborhood.
Leaders of the Humane Society of North Central Iowa tried to ease her fears.
''There isn't one chance in 100 that's going to annoy people,'' said Larry Clement, a member of the society's board of directors. ''You're going to hear a lot more dogs barking from your neighborhood than you will out of here.''
Zuspann was one of about 15 people who attended a session about the proposed shelter, and she was the loudest critic of it. She said she would visit other animal shelters to see how they deal with the noise.
Two meetings on the shelter plans were scheduled for Thursday evening at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1856, 518 S. 29th St., but the second one was canceled because no one showed up.
The proposed $1 million new animal shelter would replace the current one at 2415 1/2 Fifth Ave. S. It would be built on South 32nd Street, just south of the water tower.
Private contributions will pay for it. Society leaders are still trying to raise the needed money. To date they have secured a little more than $430,000 in cash and pledges.
If they're successful at raising the rest of the needed money, a contractor will be hired in July and work will begin soon after that. Laurie Hagey, the society's executive director, said she hopes the shelter will be occupied before winter begins.
The shelter would house 98 dogs and 146 cats. The current facility holds 40 dogs and 70 cats.
The dog kennels would be at the eastern end of the building, which is about 500 feet away from the nearest house, according to Hagey.
''We did that deliberately to put them as far away as possible both for them and the community,'' she said.
The building will have an area for training dogs. It will also have a large meeting room that society leaders said will be available for community events. A paved walking trail will circle the building.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net
|
nancyf
|
|
|---|---|
|
05-04-09 7:30 PM
|
I'm not going to egg this woman's house. But, the thought of feeding my 90+ lb black lab a double dinner, waiting a few minutes, and taking him for a walk in that neighborhood has crossed my mind. I'M JUST KIDDING!
|
|
nancyf
|
|
|
05-04-09 7:30 PM
|
I'm not going to egg this woman's house. But, the thought of feeding my 90+ lb black lab a double dinner, waiting a few minutes, and taking him for a walk in that neighborhood has crossed my mind. I'M JUST KIDDING!
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-02-09 9:09 PM
|
Dejavue: you don't have to be a dog lover to let the people that ARE take care of them. I just get tired of the Not In My Neighborhood attitude whenever something wants to be done in this town. And Joseph: Sorry but I have a little black cloud over my head that guarantees that I would get caught. But I like your idea! LOL
|
|
branmuffin
|
|
|
05-02-09 6:08 PM
|
Wow! Look at that picture! that woman needs a muzzle!
|
|
Dejavue
|
|
|
05-02-09 10:20 AM
|
boatassembler: Not everyone is a dog lover.
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-02-09 1:40 AM
|
Sorry Stranded got too many parks already.
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-02-09 1:39 AM
|
sorry:isn't it Joseph? Fogot "it"
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-02-09 1:38 AM
|
Is kinda scary, isn't Joseph? LOL
|
|
nancyf
|
|
|
05-01-09 11:35 PM
|
Joe - you're agreeing with Boat....Boat agrees with me....so does that mean you agree with me???
|
|
strandediniowa
|
|
|
05-01-09 10:29 PM
|
Make Fort Dodge a park, problem solved.
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-01-09 10:29 PM
|
Exactly nancyf. This woman needs a hobby that doesn't include dogs.
|
|
nancyf
|
|
|
05-01-09 9:17 PM
|
I think Larry Clement was right when he told her that she'll hear more dogs barking in her neighborhood than she would from the shelter. It's not as if though the dogs are kept outside 24/7. Good grief, find something else to complain about. What next, kids won't be allowed in her neighborhood because they make too much noise when they play outside?
|
|
FDGolfer
|
|
|
05-01-09 2:31 PM
|
Is this the best silliness we have to put on the front page of our paper? Come on people, make some worthy news!
|
|
duhawk
|
|
|
05-01-09 12:22 PM
|
I have a couple in my nieghborhood who COMPLAIN louder than any dog .I wish it was that easy to GET them out, as it seems to be to KEEP these other things out
|
|
Badger
|
|
|
05-01-09 11:33 AM
|
When they put a dog down, do they use a gun? If they do than I think the gun blasts would be more annoying than the dogs barking.
|
|
boatassembler
|
|
|
05-01-09 7:42 AM
|
Dejavue Reread the article. The dogs would be kept at least 500 feet from the nearest neighbor. And the director is right. She'll hear more dogs in her own neighborhood than she will from there. I still say this woman is self-centered and selfish. Some people in Fort Dodge won't be happy til they run all businesses out of Ft Dodge. What do you propose? Sending all these "undesireable" business to there own "city" say 100 miles from Ft Dodge? Have some compassion!
|
|
Dejavue
|
|
|
05-01-09 7:22 AM
|
This is no different than the people that complained about CFR moving in to their neighborhood. I agree with this woman, I would not want a bunch of loud dogs barking either. It seems that people are more tolerant of dogs, than they are of other human beings. How sad!!!
|
|
firefly94
|
|
|
05-01-09 2:25 AM
|
How hateful & self-centered can one person be??? I can't help somehow feeling ashamed for this woman. MRS ZUSPANN--You say you are going to visit other shelters to learn how they keep their animals quiet. Why don't start with our LOCAL shelter--Take a look at the extremely difficult conditions the caregivers of those precious animals have to work in day after day? If that doesn't melt your cold & forbidding heart, nothing will.
|
|
outlaw
|
|
|
05-01-09 1:07 AM
|
Haters! Even pupppies can get a break in Fort Dodge.
|