Building an animal shelter requires making a series of decisions unique to animal-housing facilities—such as choosing safe caging materials and selecting appropriate floor coatings. Here is some basic guidance on what to plan for and what to watch out for:
Acoustics
A key acoustical consideration is the placement (housing) of animals in relation to each other. For example, house yapping puppies away from kittens, nursing mothers, and debilitated animals; locate noisy equipment such as furnaces, washing machines, or phones well away from the euthanasia room. The din of barking can be reduced through proper design of and materials selection for the dog-kennel area.
Automatic Feeders and Waterers
Automatic feeders can be difficult to clean and disinfect. Their use also reduces the opportunities for interaction and socialization between the animals and their caretakers. In addition, it is important to be able to monitor the food intake of the animals in your care. Automatic waterers can also be difficult to clean and disinfect, and have been known to leak if plumbing is not well-maintained. Any stationary equipment inside a dog kennel has the potential to become an outlet for boredom if dogs are not provided proper enrichment. This should be a consideration for any shelter which may incorporate automatic feeders or waterers.
Cat Housing
A minimum space of 9 square feet is recommended per cat. Stress levels in cats, which contribute to illness, can be reduced by providing them with enough room to separate eating/drinking, sleeping/resting, eliminating, and playing/enrichment activity.
Dog Kennel Design
Double-sided runs separated by a guillotine door, whether indoor/outdoor or indoor only, offer benefits for both the shelter staff as well as the dogs that are being housed. They simplify the cleaning process by allowing a dog to be isolated to one side of the run while the other side is being disinfected and scrubbed.
The benefits of having indoor/outdoor dog runs:
- Providing indoor and outdoor access helps maintain a healthy environment for dogs, both physically and mentally.
- Open guillotine doors allow fresh air to circulate throughout the shelter, decreasing the likelihood of kennel cough and other airborne diseases.
- Noise levels and odor inside the facility can be diminished.
- Encourage house-training skills by providing dogs an outdoor area in which to eliminate.
Special considerations with indoor/outdoor dog runs:
- Outside sections cannot be disinfected in temperatures below freezing.
- In inclement weather—hot or cold—dogs should be locked inside to protect them from the elements.
- Open guillotine doors may cause drafts, making it more difficult to regulate temperature levels within the facility. It is important to set the guillotine doors off center to allow dogs to shield themselves from cold drafts.
- Even dogs provided with outdoor access in their run require daily exercise outside of their run.
- Design should contain security considerations and limit public access to outdoor section of runs.
Double- and Triple-Decker Cages
The HSUS strongly discourages using triple-decker cages for any animal, as well as double-decker cages and kennels for dogs and puppies. They not only are impossible to clean, but also pose a danger to kennel staff when animals need to be placed in or removed from the cages. Double-decker cages are acceptable for cats provided they are not positioned too high along the wall.
Electrical Sockets
These should be positioned on the wall at least three feet above the floor to avoid “splash-ups” of water and cleaning solutions used when hosing.
Electric Warming Coils Under Concrete-Slab Flooring
Avoid installing this type of system because it is nearly inaccessible in case of failure.
Ergonomic Considerations
For the sake of staff and volunteers, plan the facility with their safety in mind. For example, to minimize back strain, install bathtubs at a “working height” for groomers/caretakers and inset an area at the base for feet. Similarly, install hydraulic lift mechanisms for tables where heavy animals will be examined, groomed, or otherwise handled.
Flat Roofs
Although flat roofs are convenient for accommodating HVAC equipment, they are more prone to leaks and may collapse under heavy ice and snow build-up.
Floor and Wall Finishes
Finishes must be applied to materials that are properly cured and dried. Concrete and other surfaces should be tested with a moisture meter before being painted. To avoid subsequent deterioration, avoid using epoxy paints unless proper application techniques are guaranteed to be nearly perfect. Colorless sealers are usually more effective but must be applied over well-cured, thoroughly dry concrete that has not been previously painted.
Flooring
Appropriate flooring materials are vital to maintaining a clean facility in which microorganisms and odors are minimized. Poured floors with a minimum of seams are best. Ceramic tile is not a good choice for kennel or housing areas because grout is permeable and therefore impossible to clean adequately.
Guillotine Doors
To permit dogs housed in indoor/outdoor kennels to avoid drafts, set guillotine doors off-center. For more information, please see The HSUS Statement on the Proper Use of the Guillotine Door.
Height of Solid Dividers Between Kennels
For kennels made of chain-link fencing, a solid divider must be installed to avoid nose-to-nose contact among dogs. For large dogs, install solid dividers that are five feet or higher. For small-to-medium dogs, four-foot-high dividing walls are generally acceptable.
HVAC
Once a well-designed heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is installed, it is essential to maintain it properly and clean the ducts regularly. Residual coatings of dirt and hair inside ducts cause airborne contaminants to be constantly re-circulated into kennel areas, and these contaminants can be a major source of disease.
Lighting
Lighting fixtures in kennels should be placed over dog runs rather than down the middle of the aisle separating facing runs. This makes it easier for visitors and staff to view the animals. Positioning the fixtures in this way should allow sufficient light to spill over to the walkways so that no safety hazard is created for the public or staff. It is important to provide animals with ample lights-off time in order for them to rest soundly overnight.
Plumbing/Drainage
The drainage system must be designed so that waste from one kennel never contaminates another. Drain openings should be at least 4" in diameter. Lead-away pipes should be at least 6" in diameter. Drain covers should be of stainless steel or other non-corrosive and easily cleanable material. These should be easily removable for cleaning but otherwise kept in place to prevent puppies, other small animals, the public, or staff from falling or slipping into them. Drain Ttraps should also be installed and cleaned on a regular basis.
Poles and Support Beams
Vertical supports or beams should not be positioned inside kennels or in the middle of walkways to protect the safety of staff and the public.
Security
Any animal shelter should be concerned with security measures. Fencing, security cameras, limited access to entrances around the building, proper lighting, locks on animal housing areas, and any locations where drugs or money is stored represent just a few of the considerations to be taken into account. It is imperative for every shelter to install a fire-alarm system and institute an emergency evacuation/disaster plan.
Sink Faucets
These should be outfitted with handles, such as those on surgical sinks that can be turned off with the forearms to avoid re-contaminating hands after washing.
Wall/Floor Joints
Any wall/floor joints should be covered. Standard joints are microbe collectors and impossible to clean properly.
Wood and Other Permeable Materials
Any kind of permeable material must not be used in areas that are frequently washed.
