01-30-06 Special Called City Council Retreat Meeting of La Porte City Council

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• Floor and wall finishes Finishes must be applied to materials that are properly cured and dried. Concrete and other surfaces should be tested with a moisture meter before being painted. To avoid subsequent deterioration, avoid using epoxy paints unless proper application techniques are guaranteed to be nearly perfect. Colorless sealers are usually more effective but must be applied over well -cured, thoroughly dry concrete that has not been previously painted. Flooring Appropriate flooring materials are vital to maintaining a clean facility in which microorganisms and odors are minimized. Poured floors with a minimum of seams are best. Ceramic file is not a good choice for kennel or housing areas because grout is permeable and therefore impossible to clean adequately. Guillotine doors To permit dogs housed in indoor/outdoor kennels to avoid drafts, set guillotine doors off -center. Height of solid dividers between kennels For kennels made of chain -link fencing, a solid divider must be installed to avoid nose -to -nose contact among dogs. For large dogs, install solid dividers that are five feet or higher. For small - to -medium dogs, four -foot -high dividing walls are generally acceptable. • HVAC Once a well -designed heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system is installed, it is essential to maintain it properly and clean the ducts regularly. Residual coatings of dirt and hair inside ducts cause airborne contaminants to be constantly re -circulated into kennel areas, and these contaminants can be a major source of disease. Indoor/Outdoor Runs Indoor/outdoor runs offer benefits for both the shelter staff as well as the dogs that are being housed. They simplify the cleaning process by allowing a dog to be isolated to one side of the run while the other side is being disinfected and scrubbed. When the guillotine doors are open, fresh air can circulate throughout the shelter, decreasing the likelihood of kennel cough and other airborne diseases. Indoor/outdoor runs also diminish noise levels and odor inside the facility. They encourage house-training skills by providing dogs an outdoor area in which to eliminate. Finally, providing indoor and outdoor access helps maintain a healthy environment for dogs, both physically and mentally. The downside to indoor/outdoor runs is that the outside portion cannot be disinfected in temperatures below freezing. In addition, guillotine doors may cause drafts, making it more difficult to regulate temperature levels within the facility. For this reason, when constructing indoor/outdoor runs, it is important to set the guillotine doors off center to allow dogs to shield themselves from cold drafts. Lighting Lighting fixtures in kennels should be placed over dog runs rather than down the middle of the • aisle separating facing runs. This makes it easier for visitors and staff to view the animals.