BRUNSWICK COUNTY, Va. — After a state lead investigation and months of renovations, the Brunswick County Animal Care and Control shelter unveiled its newly-renovated facility Tuesday.
The state inspection conducted in December of 2022 found that animals were not properly fed, the facility was not kept clean and numerous animals were euthanized in a manner that did not comply with state regulations.
The findings resulted in the sheriff’s department taking over the Animal Care and Control department. The two animal control officers that worked there prior to the state investigation, have since been reassigned to other jobs in the county.
Sheriff Brian Roberts is the new head of Animal Care and Control, and said the new facility is something he hopes has a huge impact on the community and its animals.
"For the last 112 days we’ve been trying to get it ready to open," he said. "Lord willing, this will be a no-kill shelter, so first and foremost try and save them all and try and find them a home."
With almost everything brand new, Roberts said the only thing that remains from the old shelter are parts of its foundation.
"The old place was built in 1989, so your talking 34 years old, and it was quite broken," he said. "We’ve doubled it in size, we’ve modernized it, its been completely renovated inside and out."
With 20 new kennels, new security and more room for the animals to play, he said it truly took a village to get renovations completed in time as neighboring counties could only hold their animals for 90 days.
"I assembled a team of inmates and this is a poor county, I couldn’t go and spend two and three million dollars on an animal shelter, whether it was needed or not we just couldn’t, so we come up with a plan on how we were going to do it," he said.
Brian credits his amazing team to the shelters future success. "I have six rescues," said shelter employee, Amber Bishop. "I had to drive past here everyday to go to school over here at the high school...I always wanted to work with animals and when I got the opportunity to help run the shelter I was so excited."
Bishop said the new shelter is vital for their community and despite what it was before, the renewed facility will be a great space for the animals as they wait for a new place to call home.
"Having a safe place and good people to work with is a huge things for these dogs," she said. "A lot of these dogs around here are very adoptable, they just need somebody that’s going to take the time with them to help them."
Roberts said he's excited to have the new facility up and running, and he hopes to see the community pour in and adopt.
Find more information on the shelter and what animals are available on the Facebook.
