By CHRISTIE BLECK
Staff Writer
MASON — Even an animal shelter can use some sprucing up now and then beyond just cleaning cages.
The Ingham County Animal Shelter at 600 Curtis St. soon will undergo renovation to improve efficiency — and make it more fun for patrons waiting in the lobby.
An existing cement wall in the cattery will be removed to make way for a window so people in the lobby can be entertained by the free-roaming cats, said Steven J. Hummel, shelter deputy director.
"They're doing the whole front lobby and office area," Hummel explained. "They thought it was nice for a window to look from that part of the lobby into the cat area."
Hummel said three booths with partitions will be created in the lobby so business can be conducted more efficiently.
"Hopefully, it will speed things up," he said.
There also will be new office furniture and a paging system, Hummel added, as well as interior painting.
The project, the first phase of which is expected to be completed by April 1, has a price tag of $22,350. Hummel said the money will come from county funds.
Phase two will focus on the customer service and reception area in late spring.
The shelter had made an appeal to the community for temporary foster homes for the free-roaming cats. The animals had to be relocated during the first phase of the project that rendered the cattery uninhabitable from March 23 to 31. Hummel said foster homes already had been found for most of the cats.
When the cats do come back to the shelter, they'll have more spacious quarters with better lighting, according to Jamie McAloon Lampman, shelter director.
"They can bring the cats back knowing that they've helped save that cat's life," Lampman was quoted as saying.
The ICAS received more than 2,600 cats from throughout Ingham County in 2005. On any given day, the shelter houses about 200 dogs and cats.
Lampman said the new lobby set-up will make it easier for those with "heart-wrenching" stories who have to turn in their pets, the reason about half the people come to the shelter.
"This will make it better," she said.
Shelter staff, according to Lampman, eventually will look at renovating the dog kennels.
The changes come just before the announcement that the group formerly known as the Friends of the Ingham County Animal Shelter — now the Friends of Ingham County Animals — would focus instead on a new project.
In a letter to shelter supporters, FICA President Holly Strobel said, "Please be assured that we have made every effort to continue working with the Ingham County Animal Shelter. However, with new programs and policies in place, our assistance is no longer possible."
Strobel declined to go into further detail.
However, Strobel said that the group will reach out to animals in new ways. This year it will focus on the Angel Project, whose purpose is to spay or neuter 1,000 animals for low-income county residents.
"We have worked together to make lasting changes in our community," Strobel said in the letter, "and by continuing to work together, we know that the people of Ingham County will continue to be leaders in the animal welfare movement."
(For more information on the Angel Project, call 337-0699, e-mail ptsernog@umich.edu or visit www.ficas.petfinder.org.)
Lampman explained that the Friends filled a void that no longer is there as the changes that needed to be made were "made and surpassed." For example, Lampman said the shelter now has hundreds of volunteers, and has a mobile adoption program in place.
Also, because funds that the Friends raised went to that group instead of the shelter, the two entities actually were competing for money.