Frisco leaders are considering a first-of-its-kind animal facility in North Texas through a proposed public-private partnership. City staff presented the plan during an Oct. 7 City Council work session, outlining a 19,000-square-foot, $12.8 million facility that would blend public services with private operations.
A Dual-Purpose Facility
The two-story building would sit on four acres south of PGA Parkway, next to the Balcones Recycling facility currently under construction. Under the proposal, the first floor would feature boarding, day care, holding kennels, play yards and a full-service veterinary clinic. The second floor would house cats and exotic animals, a 24-hour care dorm, staff offices and a 1,792-square-foot community training room.
Frisco Animal Services, which operates under the police department, would continue to handle animal control duties but would gain support through short-term holding, quarantine space, veterinary care for public safety dogs and adoption transfers. Private operations such as pet boarding, grooming and training would also operate onsite.
Services For Residents
If approved, the facility would provide:
- Holding kennels and quarantine space
- Adoption, rescue and foster transfers
- Behavior and training services
- Community education and volunteer opportunities
- Onsite veterinary care, spay and neuter services, vaccines and microchipping
- Pet pantry access
- Boarding, day care and grooming
The goal, according to city staff, is to provide residents with a more convenient option for reuniting with lost pets and to reduce their reliance on the Collin County Animal Shelter. Currently, Frisco accounts for 11% of the shelter’s population but 33% of its funding.
The Partnership Model
The city would fund, design and build the $12.8 million facility, then lease it to a private operator on a 20-year term. Nicole Kohanski, founder of Wiggle Butt Academy and a 20-year Frisco resident, has been identified as the proposed partner. She would be responsible for rent, operations and maintenance, with the option to pay up to 100% of base rent in services instead of cash.
Kohanski, who holds multiple dog behavior certifications and is serving her third term on the city’s Animal Advisory Board, said she wants to offer residents “something better” than what the county shelter provides. “The level of care will be second to none,” she said during the work session…