A host of new programs and upgrades has earned St. Joseph Animal Control and Rescue statewide recognition.

The Missouri Animal Control Association named the facility the state shelter of the year earlier this month.

Through a partnership with AnimalKind, the shelter provides low-cost spay and neuter services for large dogs. According to Rick Smith, manager at animal control, owners take more large dogs to the shelter than small ones.

“We’re trying to reduce the number of large dogs in shelters,” Mr. Smith said. “The small dogs are more popular and easier to adopt out, while there’s not as much demand for the large dogs.”

Other programs include Pets for the Elderly, which offers citizens 60 or older $50 toward adopting a pet. Another program provides temporary assistance to owners who cannot afford food for their pets.

In addition to programming, the shelter made more than $120,000 in physical upgrades to its facility on Lower Lake Road with money from the Capital Improvements Program sales tax. The shelter purchased a new cremation unit and built a structure outside to accommodate it. The extra room freed up space for eight new kennels. Eight portable kennels also were added.

“In the long run, hopefully that will allow us to house more animals, and possibly the animals we do have will have a few more days for us to find them a home,” Mr. Smith said.

The facility previously won the award in 2007. Mr. Smith already has ideas in mind to add new services at the shelter. If funds are available, he would like to partner with Hillyard Technical Center to build dog houses for low-income families.

“A lot of people don’t understand that we do more than just enforcement, adoptions and animal redemptions,” Mr. Smith said. “We’re trying to help people be responsible pet owners.”

Clinton Thomas can be reached

at clintonthomas@npgco.com.