The City of Newton’s new $84,831 eight stall commercial dog kennel has arrived in town, but the City Council still has to decide where to put it. Newton Police Chief Rob Burdess updated Council members Monday night on where the project stands. 

“City Staff has realistically surveyed about 20 city properties. In early December we are going to bring to the council a list of those properties with the cost of placing the kennel on each property. Some are going to take dirt work, or the installation of thousands of feet of water line, all sorts of different scenarios.”

The Newton City Council has already voted against three sites that were recommended by the Police Department. Chief Burdess says putting the kennel on any of the remaining sites will probably push the total project over the original budget of $150,000. The Newton City Council purchased the commercial modular kennel in late September. The purchase was after Parkview Animal Hospital, which had a contract with the city to house stray and runaway dogs for many years, announced the termination of that contract effective October 15th. Chief Burdess says Parkview is continuing to provide two stalls for the city at a higher price on a non-contractual basis, and will continue to do so until May.