WATCH: Breaking Ground on Forsyth's New Animal Shelter

On a bright and sunny afternoon this week, ground was broken on the new animal shelter in north Forsyth County.

The approximately 13,700-square foot facility will be located on County Way off GA 400 across from the Georgia State Patrol (Post 37) building. The new animal shelter, designed by RKS Green Consulting and Shelterplanners.com, is slated for completion in early 2014. 

During the groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, Forsyth County Commission Chairman R.J. (Pete) Amos thanked the voters for making the project possible. He also thanked all those involved in the project, including members of the county’s Animal Control and Shelter Advisory Committee; a group formed to help ensure the project was undertaken in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Amos extended his appreciation to Dr. Lanier and Annette Orr, who have partnered with the county since the early 1980s, providing animal shelter services for the community.

“A simple thank you is nowhere near enough to express the county’s appreciation for their services throughout the years,” Amos said. “I especially want to thank them for continuing to operate the current shelter as we have been working toward construction of a new shelter. You both have provided such a valuable service to our community and I want you to know how much you are appreciated.”

District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent noted during the ceremony the hard work that went into getting the project to the groundbreaking phase.

“Careful consideration has gone into planning this facility and to meeting the animal shelter needs of the community,” he said. “It has been designed to promote adoption, public education and collaboration with local animal advocacy groups.”

The new shelter, which will be funded by the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VII program, replaces the current arrangement in which the county contracts out shelter operations.

That's a new measure that delighted Lance White, president of the Humane Society of Forsyth County (HSFC).

"Never before have we had an actual county owned and operated facility," he said.

White also said the new shelter will remain a "kill" shelter, but that an effort to lower the number of animals that are euthanized will be implemented.

"I'm actually going to be working with the volunteer part of the shelter and trying to get as many animals, dogs and cats, out of here as possible," he said. "We [HSFC] pull from the county animal shelter. We've been doing that for the past two years now. We were never able to do that before."