RECORD STAFF

Oak Harbor officials finally found a new site for the city animal shelter.

Last week, Oak Harbor City Council members approved a lease agreement with an option to purchase the Freedom Kennels on Goldie Road.

The acquisition will cost the city $2,500 a month, plus an additional $10,000 for the option to purchase.

If all goes well, the city expects to remodel the kennels at a cost of up to $20,000 prior to the move.

“It would be really nice to be off the base and somewhere that has better access,” said Shari Bibich, shelter manager for Whidbey Animals’ Improvement Foundation.

The group, commonly called WAIF, manages the city’s dog-and-cat pound.

The city has struggled with the animal-shelter issue for years. The city’s current shelter is housed in a decrepit building on the Navy’s seaplane base.