A chapter ended and a new one began Dec. 26 as the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley officially opened for business at 2921 W. Chenango Ave.

New employees were being trained and all the new forms and animal descriptions were being printed as the doors opened at 11 a.m. There were eight dogs on site, six that were transferred from the Colorado Humane Society plus two strays. Eight cats were being checked over at a veterinarian clinic and would be spayed or neutered before being returned to the society next week.

“We still have work to do but we have things pretty well organized and we even have a couple scheduled to come in and, if everything works out, Lovey Dovey will be the first dog adopted from this new facility,” said Susan Fredinburg, operations manager.

She noted that the organization could use some help. There is a need for volunteers to exercise the dogs plus the society could use donations of money, blankets, towels, litter boxes, cat bowls, dog and cat food, treats, collars and leashes.

The shelter is open from noon to 2 p.m. on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

For information about the society, the shelter and its programs, visit the Web site at www.hsspv.org. or call the facility at 303-703-2938.

Fredinburg worked for Colorado Humane Society for six years and was facilities manager during the organization’s final two years of operation.

“This new facility is like a dream come true,” she said with a smile. “It is everything I ever wanted and more. The opening of this new facility is like Santa was good to the lost and stray animals in the area.”

Nick Fisher, director of the new shelter, said the new 6,500-square-foot facility provides the room to take good care of the animals entrusted to the society.

The facility has a room for the cat kennels and a separate, much larger area that will accommodate 57 dog kennels. Fisher said the kennels are large enough that, if necessary, they could double up some of the small dogs so, if needed, they probably could accommodate about 75 dogs. There will also be space to house any other animals brought to the shelter such as hamsters, rabbits or snakes.

There will be a veterinarian on site plus there are separate quarantine spaces for sick cats and dogs.

Fisher said the biggest hurdle he faced was finding a good location and said the West Chenango Avenue site was his first choice.

He added that everyone has been really helpful as he worked to get the new facility established. He particularly cited the cooperation and assistance he has received from Englewood and Littleton to create a shelter that provides good service for lost or stray animals.

Fredinburg and Stephanie Arms, who has years of experience at Table Mountain Animal Shelter, are the operations manager plus the new facility has four other full-time employees.

“We have experienced staff and a lot of people have called to volunteer to work with us plus we have a nice new facility that is ready to go,” Fisher said. “I think it will take six months or more to get established while people learn where we are located. Also, we hope to have other governmental agencies like Arapahoe County and Centennial use our facility for stray animals. Right now, I think they are taking a wait-and-see attitude during the next couple months while we get up and running.”

The opening of the new shelter completes the two-year effort to find an organization with a facility to tend to lost and stray animals. The search was necessary because a judge placed the Colorado Humane Society under control of a custodian, who eventually expected to turn the society over to new owners who most likely wouldn’t be interested in running the animal shelter.

That put Englewood, Littleton and several other communities in a difficult situation because they had contracted for decades to have the Colorado Humane Society operate the animal shelter on South Platte River Drive.

Fisher brought forward a proposal and, with the backing and financial support of Englewood and Littleton, established the Humane Society of the South Platte Valley and set up the new shelter that opened Dec. 26.