CIBOLO, Texas – Thanks to generous donors, the Cibolo Animal Shelter has a few adoptable dogs and cats that are sponsored, meaning their adoption fees have already been paid.
Community members have recently helped the shelter avoid reaching maximum capacity as it waits for its new facility to be built.
The shelter’s main office is currently a portable trailer next to the public works department.
“I believe this shelter was built in about 2009, and we’ve been definitely growing since then,” said Janette Wilson, Cibolo’s animal services manager.
Wilson said the shelter was originally built with space for 12 medium to large dogs. As demand increased, the city brought in a mobile kennel to house eight smaller dogs.
“Throughout the year, we’re usually close or at max capacity,” Wilson shared. “Luckily, we have fosters that can kind of keep it so we’re under capacity so if we do get in, say, a dog or cat overnight, we do at least still have a kennel for them to have some safe and humane housing.”
The sponsored adoption fees are one way residents are trying to help animals leave the shelter more quickly.
Wilson said the shelter also offers foster-to-adopt options to help make sure animals are the right fit for families before an adoption is finalized.
Voters approved a 2024 bond to improve public facilities. The proposed shelter will be bigger to house more animals, give them more space, and better accommodate the community for future events.
“We’re gonna have bigger areas for cats to kind of free room versus just being in a kennel where the families can’t really interact with them too well or see their personalities,” Wilson explained. “So we’re gonna have a lot more space for the community and residents to actually socialize with them.”
A new $9 million animal shelter is planned for an empty lot next to the Cibolo YMCA on Haeckerville Road.
The facility is expected to open by 2028 and include space for 30 dogs and 70 cats.
Wilson said the city does not plan to add more animal control officers when the new shelter opens. Instead, the shelter hopes to increase its number of fosters and volunteers.
