Tippecanoe County plans to build a new animal shelter in Lafayette
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For almost 30 years, Crystal Creek Kennels has worked with the Tippecanoe County government to help shelter and adopt animals throughout the county.
That will soon be coming to end.
Bernard Wulle, the owner of Crystal Creek Kennels, informed the County Commissioners about his desire to retire earlier this year.
Although saddened by this news, the commissioners knew this day was coming and plan to open a county animal shelter to fill the absence of Crystal Creek Kennels.
“For many years we have been involved, Tippecanoe County government has been involved in animal sheltering arrangement with Crystal Creek Kennels – north of Battle Ground, Ind. – and it’s been a great relationship," said Tippecanoe County Commissioner Tracy Brown.
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"It dates all the way back to when Smokey Anderson was sheriff, and they have done a remarkable job in terms of managing the population of the animals that come in through the intake process there.”
Anderson, a veteran with Tippecanoe County, served one term as sheriff until 2006.
“Unfortunately," Brown continued, "it has come time for Bernard and Annetta Wulle, the owners of Crystal Creek Kennels, to retire. That’s their desire. We knew that was coming; we didn’t think it was going to happen as soon as it did.
“We have been on a year-to-year contract with them. So, it is very apparent that collectively we need to do something to spin up an operation that’s going to provide the same services that were being provided by that kennel.”
County to build animal shelter in Lafayette
With the announcement of Wulle's retirement, the county, as well as the City of Lafayette and the City of West Lafayette, plan to create a joint humane animal shelter at the county’s old Purdue Extension offices on Sagamore Parkway in Lafayette.
The commissioners plan the new facility to house animal control officers as well as other animal shelter services.
The three governments plan to allocate around $5 million to fund the construction of this project.
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The Tippecanoe County government plans to contribute around $2 million in funds; the City of Lafayette, around $2.5 million in funds; and the City of West Lafayette, $500,000 to the project.
“These numbers come from what a study has shown what the relative need in the contribution of the political subdivisions are to the animals that require sheltering,” said Doug Masson, Tippecanoe County’s attorney.
The commissioners have partnered with Shelter Planner of America to create a 3-D, colored rendering of the protentional buildings. The design of the project is similar to the rendering prepared for Brown County Humane Society, which Shelter Planner of America also worked on.
The Tippecanoe County Commissioners did not mention a starting date or expected completion of the project at Monday's meeting.
Noe Padilla is a reporter for the Journal & Courier. Email him at Npadilla@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter at 1NoePadilla.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Pet adoption: Animal shelter coming to Lafayette, Tippecanoe County
