by Gina Thomas, Lyon County
Lyon County taxpayers were promised a modern animal control facility—one designed to improve animal welfare, streamline operations, and deliver long-overdue services to the community. Nearly six years after the plan was announced, many residents are now questioning why the project remains incomplete and why additional costs continue to mount.
In 2019, Lyon County Animal Control announced plans for a $4.5 million, 11,000-square-foot facility that would include office space, a meeting room, laundry facilities, a crematorium, and a veterinary clinic area. The project was also designed to house 36 kennels with heated floors and eight quarantine kennels. County officials indicated at the time that the on-site clinic would reduce reliance on outside veterinary services and speed the adoption process.
According to Lyon County Animal Control Advisory Board meeting minutes from January 2025, the county had made no progress on the vet clinic area. As of the September 8, 2025 meeting, there appears to have been no change.
The ongoing delay has created measurable consequences. Without a functioning veterinary clinic, dogs cannot be spayed or neutered on-site, forcing the county to pay outside facilities to perform the procedures. This not only increases operational costs but also disrupts shelter operations.
As a result, dogs spend more time at the shelter because they cannot be adopted out until after they are altered. Longer stays increase daily care costs, strain kennel capacity, and place additional stress on animals. Animal welfare advocates note that extended shelter stays also reduce overall adoption turnover, limiting the number of animals the shelter can help.
Residents say this outcome directly contradicts the purpose of the original project.
We were told this facility would make operations more efficient and save money. Instead, we’re paying extra while dogs sit in the shelter longer than necessary.
Officials have not explained why the veterinary clinic area remains unfinished or provided a revised timeline for completion.
As questions continue to grow, some residents are calling for greater transparency, clearer oversight, and accountability from county leadership. For many, the issue is no longer simply about a delayed construction project—but about whether the county is delivering on the promises made to taxpayers and the animals in its care.
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