The Lake County Dog Shelter has made several operational changes after its air conditioning system broke down during a heat wave shortly before the Fourth of July, according to News 5 Cleveland.
Shelter staff moved animals to other locations when indoor temperatures rose to unsafe levels, the station reported. A needed component for the facility's geothermal system, which is over two decades old, caused the outage. Repairs have been completed, though county officials said they are examining what comes next for the aging equipment.
Lake County Commissioner Morris Beverage III said the county is assessing future options and acknowledged that maintaining an older system can be challenging. He said officials used the situation to review how the shelter should operate going forward.
The county also responded to complaints about how euthanized dogs were handled, Beverage said, by contracting with a company that cremates the animals and spreads their ashes on its property. Additionally, the shelter has partnered with the Lake Humane Society, which will assist in evaluating dogs for adoption. All adopted animals will be spayed or neutered before placement, and Beverage said veterinary care has become a priority, with standing Friday appointments and a goal of having dogs examined within a week.
Engineers are evaluating the building's mechanical systems to develop a long-term plan for the HVAC infrastructure.