NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. () – North Augusta city officials are considering options to enhance animal welfare in the city through building new facilities or collaborating with surrounding counties.

Animal advocates express concerns over the current animal control facility, stating it does not meet essential standards. They urge city officials to develop a modern facility in North Augusta.

People in North Augusta say the city is falling behind on animal care.

A 20-19 consultant study recommended upgrades to the current facility.

“We haven’t observed any significant progress toward establishing a proper animal shelter,” noted Tabitha Waldrop, a volunteer with Friends of North Augusta Animals.

Volunteers say dogs can go nearly 20 hours without walks on weekends due to staffing.

“It would be beneficial if FONAA or other volunteers were allowed some independence to access city property over the weekend to care for the dogs without requiring a public safety officer’s presence,” Waldrop mentioned.

The city has made small improvements at the animal control facility, including sealing floors, controlling pests, adding fans, and repainting.

“Ventilation within the facility needs immediate improvement,” Waldrop added. “Consider incorporating skylights or windows to provide natural lighting, as currently, the facility relies entirely on fluorescent lighting.”

One potential solution involves repurposing the old public safety building, which is presently utilized for storage. However, issues such as mold and asbestos need addressing.

“But I’d imagine that the best way to treat that property might be to demolish that building and just build this, more simple shelter on that same property,” Waldrop said.

Waldrop and local advocates want a modest, scalable shelter in North Augusta, modeled after Edgefield County. They say it could be funded with state grants, partnerships, and local dollars.

Friends of North Augusta Animals shared their plan during Monday night’s Power Hour, ahead of the 5:30 p.m. council meeting.