Large crowd attends ribbon cutting; Deputy Boyd honored for instrumental role in project
About 300 residents, officials, donors and supporters gathered Friday evening, March 6, for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Logan County’s new $2 million animal shelter, marking the completion of a long-awaited facility designed to improve care for stray and surrendered animals across Logan County.
The open house, held from 4 to 7 p.m., allowed community members to tour the new 8,400-square-foot facility and recognize the years of planning, fundraising and construction that led to the project’s completion.
Logan County Sheriff Randy Dodds opened the program by thanking the many individuals and organizations whose support helped bring the shelter project to fruition.
“If not for all of you — supporters, big supporters, big financial supporters — this wouldn’t have happened,” Dodds said.
Dodds also joked about the level of community enthusiasm for the project.
“I’ll tell you what I found out — people love their animals better than they love…” Dodds began before stopping short of finishing the sentence, drawing laughter from the crowd.
He added that he was surprised by the number of donations that came in to support the effort.
“I was kind of blown away about the donations that came in, no matter what size they were — good heavens,” Dodds said.
The new facility represents the culmination of several years of work after Logan County found itself without a permanent shelter operation.
Logan County Commissioner Joe Antram, president of the Logan County Board of Commissioners, said the need for a new shelter became clear several years ago after the county lost its previous animal housing arrangement.
“When I was first a member of the Board of Commissioners in 2017, we realized we had an immediate need when the facility and the entity that was in charge of our animals didn’t work out,” Antram said. “It kind of got placed on our shoulders to find a way to make this happen.”
During the intervening years, Logan County relied on neighboring counties to house animals picked up locally, which officials said created inconvenience for residents and additional costs for the county.
“This facility right here is something that has taken a long time to achieve,” Antram said. “We’re very pleased with the outcome and the product here that’s going to serve the community for many years to come.”
Modern facility designed for expanded services
The new shelter includes kennel space for approximately 26 dogs and 20 cats, along with an intake area designed to keep newly arrived animals separated from the shelter’s general population to help protect animal health.
The facility also features a large fenced-in outdoor socialization area for dogs, an exam room, and a training room equipped with a washer and dryer used for cleaning bedding and supplies.
Indoor stalls and an outdoor fenced area were also included to accommodate larger animals such as horses when needed.
Officials said efforts were made throughout the design process to maximize the use of the building’s roughly 8,400 square feet in order to provide a flexible space capable of supporting multiple animal care functions.
The shelter also plans to expand services over time. Officials said the facility may offer spay and neuter services in the future as funding and donations allow.
In addition, once proper licensing and approvals are obtained, the shelter will have the ability to humanely euthanize animals when necessary, a capability considered an essential but difficult part of responsible animal shelter operations when animals are suffering, severely ill or pose safety risks.
Although the grand opening took place Friday, the shelter has already been serving the community. Since its unofficial opening Jan. 1, the facility has taken in about 65 animals, officials said.
Following remarks from county officials, a ceremonial ribbon cutting marked the official opening of the shelter.
Dodds praises Boyd’s leadership on shelter project
Sheriff Dodds later returned to the podium to recognize Deputy Jake Boyd, Logan County dog warden, for the role he played in helping bring the project to fruition.
“Jake was the right person for this project,” Dodds said. “His involvement from the very beginning was instrumental in getting this facility built.”
Dodds said Boyd devoted significant time and effort to the project while continuing to carry out his duties as dog warden.
“His construction skills are awesome,” Dodds said. “He’s pretty organized and really worked at it. He did a lot of fundraising on his own.”
Dodds said Boyd spent many hours working on the project and advocating for the new shelter.
“We owe a lot to Jake,” Dodds said. “I can’t thank him enough for the sacrifice that he’s put in.”
During the ceremony, Boyd was presented with a commendation recognizing his dedication and service to the project and the community.
Reading from the commendation, Dodds said Boyd’s leadership and commitment helped make the new shelter a reality.
“Your involvement from the very beginning of this project has been instrumental to its success,” Dodds read. “Through your leadership, insight and unwavering commitment, you have helped bring this long-anticipated facility to fruition.”
Team effort behind the shelter
Logan County commissioners noted that the project was completed with the help of Beasley Architecture & Design, LeVans Excavation, Hoylman Construction, Covetrus North America, Knotty Pines Custom, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and Deputy Jake Boyd, who oversees the shelter’s operations as dog warden.
Shelter assistants Karlie Penhorwood and Kris Copenhaver, along with veterinarian Dr. Kelli Gentis, also play key roles in the facility’s daily operations and animal care.
Dodds thanked Gentis for her willingness to assist the shelter.
“She has reached out and worked with Jake and has been a blessing here,” Dodds said. “She’s doing it for not as much as she would normally make off the street, and she’s been very good to us and very good with Jake.”
In a message shared following the event, shelter officials thanked the community for its continued support.
“We don’t even know where to begin,” officials said. “The continued support of the community is amazing, and a simple thank you doesn’t seem like enough. The love that was shown today was great, and we look forward to serving the community and continuing to grow the services we can offer.”
The shelter is now open to the public and offering adoption hours:
Thursday: 1 to 6 p.m.
Friday: noon to 6 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Shelter officials also thanked the Logan County commissioners, Sheriff Dodds and his staff, and the many residents who attended the opening celebration.
“We estimated around 300 people gave up time on their Friday night to be part of our grand opening event,” officials said. “We’re grateful for the community support.”
Check back later for additional photos of the event and new facility.
* April King, WPKO/WBLL, contributed to this article.
