On Oct. 23, the city of Lakewood opened a new animal shelter. This facility, located at 12910 Berea Road, featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony open to the public, along with a grand opening and tours of the building.
The shelter includes an office space, an animal washroom, a medical room and an area for the cats and dogs. It provides an opportunity for these stray animals to receive optimal care until they are adopted.
Founded in 1985, the original shelter was due for an upgrade. Before that, the animals were sent to the Cuyahoga County Kennel, which required a longer drive. Now, after 40 years of service, the shelter has been modernized and expanded.
The new location has sparked community interest, moving from the secluded valley to Berea Road near Cleveland. “The new location on Berea Road [is] more easily visible from the street and not hidden in a valley in an obscure location,” said counsel member John Storey. “More traffic should equal more adoptions,” he added. The shelter’s proximity to an urban area makes public access much easier.
The shelter plays a vital role in protecting local animals before they find their forever homes. “The safety and welfare of animals are important to the city and its residents. This gives us expanded, more modern facilities for the animals and their hopeful short stay with us before they are adopted and find their forever home,” said Storey.
The shelter’s staff is essential to its success. “I oversee the employees, make sure the animals … are taken care of, [and] make sure that all the calls that we get are answered,” said Gary Crumley, supervisor. “I retired with the city as a detective. After almost 34 years of service, the shelter supervisor spot opened up with the city. I like animals,” Crumley added. The staff’s dedication is evident in their care for the animals.
The shelter team is small but mighty. “There’s just three of us down here — so it’s myself and then two full-time animal control officers,” Crumley said. The staff has versatile schedules, handling both human and animal interactions. They perform a variety of tasks to keep the shelter running smoothly.
Daily tasks include bathing animals, administering medical exams and feeding them. The new facility provides a modern space to perform these duties and accommodate more animals. “We only deal with strays in Lakewood, so we get cats and dogs. A lot of our dogs will be reclaimed, because they usually get out of the yard, [the owners] just come pick them up,” Crumley added.
The goal is to increase adoption rates, assist more strays and expand resources. The old building was outdated, but the new one meets current standards for animal care. As our city grows, the need for better facilities is essential.
While the shelter’s core mission begins within the building, its impact extends throughout Lakewood. Many animals have been reunited with their families. “It puts animals in need into safe shelters instead of into dangerous ones where they could get hurt,” said Lakewood High School student Jada Goings. “I think they are doing the best they can with the amount of animals that they get, and any help is good help to better the community,” she added. The shelter’s efforts are appreciated by residents for caring for missing animals and offering them refuge.
The new space not only makes the staff’s job easier but also improves the animals’ well-being. Stray animals often face stress, so providing them with a nurturing environment is crucial for them to return back to a normal life. Modernizing the building will most definitely improve the overall health and well-being of our animals. Lakewood’s new shelter signals a new era in local animal care and community engagement.
