News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Construction underway on a new Sparta dog pound at the Public Works headquarters on South Carter Street.
Public Works Director Dillard Quick said the 24-by-30-foot facility will centralize the city’s Animal Control operations. He said the structure will feature five pens, running water and climate control, and a playpen. He said the building would be much smaller than the space previously used at the Sparta Police Station, which was far larger than necessary.
“It’s just in the central location,” Quick said. “We feel like we can take care of the animals that are caught better at one location instead of having it at a location that we have to drive through on a different property.”
Quick said the concrete pad has already been poured.
“We’ve got some sidewalks right now that we’re pouring on North Carter Park and some light pole bases to try to extend the park there,” Quick said. “So as soon as we get finished with that, we’ll get back on the building and get it constructed.”
He said the building will be located right where the Carter Park pool house used to be. He said the run pen in the new facility would be smaller than the one in the current building, but given the scarcity of loose dogs the department catches, the new space will make more sense.
“That’s where all of our guys meet in the morning and the afternoon, so nobody has to make a special trip to go over to the dog pound on Baker Street,” Quick said. “It’ll be right there at our facility and, like I said, it’ll be easier to maintain the safety of the dogs.”
Public Works taking over dog duties from Police earlier this year.
