Council Moves Forward With Pod-Based Rebuild of Animal Shelter Kennels

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo City Council on Tuesday directed staff to move ahead with designing a new pod-style kennel system to replace the deteriorating large-dog building at the city animal shelter, clearing the way for the most significant facility change the shelter has seen in years.

Construction Manager Al Torres and Animal Services Manager Amanda Weddle presented the updated plan after earlier renovation designs stalled. The original approach required constructing a temporary off-site kennel during rebuilding, but cost estimates for that temporary structure rose from roughly $200,000 to more than $500,000. Staff told council it no longer made sense to spend that much on a facility that would be torn down afterward.

Instead, the shelter would transition to permanent kennel “pods,” built on the existing property. Each pod would operate like a dormitory, containing about two dozen indoor–outdoor dog runs with guillotine doors that let dogs move between climate-controlled interior spaces and covered exterior areas. Weddle said the pod layout mirrors modern shelter design standards and would improve airflow, reduce noise, and limit disease spread.

The city has about $2 million already allocated for shelter improvements. Torres said that funding should be enough to design and build three pods, with a fourth pod included as an alternate depending on bid prices. Four pods would provide 96 general-admission dog runs, comparable to the number of usable kennels the shelter has today. Isolation, quarantine and puppy wards would remain in the existing building.

Council members voiced support for the shift, saying the pod approach appeared more realistic and cost-effective than the previous renovation plan. Several members also encouraged staff to explore building all four pods at once if construction prices permit, noting that delaying the additional pod could increase long-term costs.

With the council’s direction, staff will now begin detailed design work and return with updated cost estimates and a construction timeline.