Designing or remodeling an animal shelter requires a lot of care and consideration for its potential inhabitants. To ensure optimal animal comfort and handling, it is essential to keep in mind the number and type of holding cages, the daily intake trends of the facility, and the animal welfare goals of your shelter. Different animals might have different requirements for safe housing. While most animal shelters have restrictive holding cages to ensure their well-being, an animal facility should have flexible housing that can adjust to the changing needs of animals.
Over the past few decades, the requirements for safe animal housing have shifted with the changing needs for animal welfare. An increasing need for efficient animal shelters that provide excellent care to all breeds and sizes of animals has emerged, with the holding cages requiring the most care and attention. Let us look at some things you should keep in mind when selecting holding cages for your animal shelter.
Cage Configurations
You can choose from a wide range of cage configurations depending on the size and design of your facility and your animal care needs. Veterinary cages are available in stacked designs, including single, double, and triple stacked cages. These enclosures can be customized according to the needs of your animal housing facility, and are available in multiple configurations for doors, including single, double, front, and back door arrangements. High-stacked cages with a spacious design might be suitable for bigger animals and facilities that see a lot of animal traffic.
Holding Cage Materials
Among the different types of materials available for holding cages at animal shelters, stainless steel is the most popular due to its durability, reliability, and safety for all kinds of animals. Stainless steel cages are stronger than other materials like plastic and less prone to accidental opening due to their secure latches and durable hinges. Stainless steel is also excellent for microbial resistance since it prevents the growth of disease-causing pathogens on dirty cage surfaces. The strength of this material might be ideal for larger breeds of animals like dogs that might prove challenging to control.
Accessories for Holding Cages
Holding cages are not just meant to restrict animals to their spaces but provide them adequate care and comfort during their stay at the animal shelter. Most animals have special needs for comfortable living, such as special feeding bowls, shelves for resting, waste bins, trough covers, and more. These accessories ensure optimal animal comfort and prevent any adverse outcomes. You can fit the holding cages for animal shelters with various accessories depending on the needs of their inhabitants and provide an adaptable environment in which they can live and play.
Conclusion
Multiple types of holding cages are available for animal shelters, including single, double, and triple-stacked cages with several door arrangements and accessories to make animals comfortable. Stainless steel is the most popular choice of material for these cages. The choice of the right kind of cage for your facility should be made keeping in mind the size and design of your facility, the number, and types of animals, and special animal care needs if any.
