Eight months from now the Central Alabama Animal Shelter hopes to be opening its doors at its new location at 206 Medical Center Parkway.

According to KellySue Giampietro, secretary of the board of directors for the shelter, that would be the best case scenario.

Giampietro said that first an architect will have to provide designs for the building, formerly the Central Insulation Company. Then companies who want the renovation job will have to submit bids. Once the lowest bid is found the renovation will start, she said.

City Attorney Jimmy Nunn said that since the City Council approved the measure to purchase the building Monday night the city can now go ahead with negotiations with SouthTrust Bank, the current owner of the building.

Teresa Martin, operations manager of the animal shelter, said a new location for the shelter had been in the works for some time, but that she just found out recently where it would be.

Martin said she is looking forward to moving to the new location because she will be able to take better care of the animals at the bigger building.

Martin also said that she hopes additional staff members will be available at the new shelter.

According to Martin, at the current location of the shelter the three staff members present aren’t enough to adequately deal with the number of walk-ins they receive in addition to bathing and checking the animals.

Martin said that the shelter currently handles more than 3,000 cats and dogs in a year’s time.

Martin said that People’s Bank gave the shelter a new trailer in October.

It’s currently sitting on the opposite side of Highway 80.

According to Martin, the new trailer will be used until the move to the new facility is finished.