ELYRIA — The Lorain County Dog Kennel is getting a facelift.On Thursday, the county commissioners approved lending the dog pound $20,000 so it can add fenced-in runs for the dogs, new cages and partitions to cut down on the spread of the canine Parvovirus.

Commissioner Lori Kokoski said the dog pound also will eliminate a set of cages that had dogs stacked on top of one another.

“Hopefully they’ll be adopted, but while they’re there I like to make them as comfortable as possible,” she said.

County Administrator Jim Cordes said the county plans to keep the costs down by using fencing that was left over from a project at the Lorain County Regional Airport for the two planned fenced-in runs.

The dog pound has a capacity of about 46 dogs, but county Dog Warden Jack Szlempa Sr. said the pound is rarely full. He said there is also a separate area that can house as many as eight dogs in quarantine for being vicious or sick.

The changes to the cages may result in the pound being able to handle fewer dogs, although Szlempa said he’s not sure what the final capacity will be.

Kokoski said the summer is the busiest time for the pound and extra dogs will be able to be kept outside in a covered area if there is crowding. She said the larger cages may also allow some friendlier dogs to temporarily share cages.

Szlempa said the new cages will be easier to clean and disinfect, which will make the job easier on his staff.

Kokoski said the pound eventually will repay the county the money for the renovations.

She said she would also like to see other improvements, including a separate area for puppies and a room for veterinarians to use to examine the dogs that are brought in.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

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