TULSA, Okla. — Animal activists and shelter volunteers have been calling for change for the Tulsa Animal Shelter and now those changes are coming.
The city announced it will be issuing a request for competitive sealed proposals from qualified agencies in the next coming weeks.
Those proposals would be management plans for various services like animal medical care, spay and neuter services, and adoptions.
“All of Tulsa has started to identify a major need in the shelter as far as funding goes as far as funding goes," said Caitlin Taylor, a representative from the Humane Society of Tulsa. "Support for staff because it is an emotionally trying field to work in.“
The city has answered those concerns with extended shelter hours and additional funding.
“The Council and the Mayor have made a big investment by increasing the shelters budget by 36 percent and increasing staff by 12 additional people”," said Jack Blair, Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum's Chief of Staff.
However, it’s believed more changes need to be made.
“The vision that we have is that if there is a major overhaul of the shelter; its condition its location and the employees it would be better in numbers ways," said Stacia Alsabrook, Co-Founder of Justice for the Voiceless, an animal rights group in Tulsa.
“The bottom line is we want to have the best animal welfare system in the country so we have a lot of ground to make because of years and really decades of under-funding,” said Blair.
Which is why the city is looking to the outside for help or internal inspiration.
“We’ve got a facility that needs upgrades, serious upgrades, and we are hoping that a partner can help us leverage the funds that we have voter approval for to really make a first class facility," said Blair. “We’re also giving staff the opportunity to write a proposal of their own.”
The City says, they hope to make a decision on who will take over the Tulsa Animal Shelter by July 1.
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