Operation Kindness' New $6 Million Medical Wing Will Be ‘key Part of Caring for Animals'

CARROLLTON — Amy Mariaux points to Operation Kindness' small medical wing as one of the shelter's most lively areas.Mariaux said she and other vet technicians crowd into the medical unit, which was originally built as the shelter's garage, at all hours to vaccinate, microchip and check on newly arrived animals and those preparing to leave the shelter. "We sometimes joke around and play music to keep the mood light, but it gets really chaotic in there sometimes because it's also the hallway," Mariaux said. "The space in the room can make a day that wouldn't be stressful into a stressful one where you're asking, 'Why are there so many people in the room?'"That's why Mariaux and other medical staff are looking forward to a new $6 million medical wing expected to open at the Carrollton-based shelter next spring. The project, which broke ground Tuesday, is the first phase of a $12 million shelter expansion taking place over the next few years. "This is what gets us through the day — we know this is happening," Mariaux said. "There may be days when you want to pull your hair, but you know a bigger medical suite is coming."   Continue reading...