Tyler Ohmart, a Waynesville Animal Shelter employee, shows the new and improved cat room while he interacts with Kitty, a feline resident of the Fort Leonard Wood Animal Shelter, located at Bldg. 2399. Photo by Sam Campbell.
The Fort Leonard Wood Animal Shelter has reopened after having closed for renovations in late 2018, and pets can be adopted again through the on-post location at Bldg. 2399, beside the Veterinary Treatment Facility.
Department of Defense ID card holders can stop by the shelter during its resumed business hours 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Although located on Fort Leonard Wood, the shelter is operated by Waynesville Animal Shelter staff through a cooperative agreement between the installation and the city of Waynesville.
The structure received a large addition with quality-of-life upgrades, including a new dog-wash station, cat room and front office area; dog kennels were already a part of the building.
Waynesville City Administrator John Doyle said he is very impressed with the renovations.
“The new facility out there has upgraded the animal care, and I think everybody would be pleased when they visit the new site,” he said.
Doyle explained that part of the delay in reopening the structure was due to challenges presented by COVID-19.
“The project itself, from my understanding, went very well,” he said. “It was just that the ending of the project fell at a time in which the inspections could not be completed.”
Those inspections have since occurred, he said.
The fort’s lead designer on the project, J.D. Bales — who adopted his family dog from Waynesville’s shelter 10 years ago — spoke highly of the team effort.
“We wanted to give the animal control folks the structure that they needed … to provide service to the installation,” he said. “I think that they sincerely care about the animals that they house there.”
Doyle praised the collaboration and emphasized the need for a shelter since not all pets can move with each permanent change of station.
“This intergovernmental service agreement with the military actually provides seamless service to both Soldiers on the post and off the post,” he said. “(When) circumstances don’t allow them to take their pet to the next duty station — they have that
sometimes — they have the comfort knowing that they’ll be taken care of very well.”
Shelter staff reminded post residents that stray pets can be brought to the facility for drop-off during normal business hours. If strays are found any other time, pet rescuers should call the Military Police at 573.596.6141.
Community members can contact the FLW Animal Shelter through WAS at 573.774.6509 or animalshelter@waynesvillemo.org.
