5 Tips to Improve Shelter Air Quality

The germs pictured here were circulating in the ambient air of a shelter’s cat room. But don’t worry—here are five tips to help you and your animals breathe a little easier.

Make a change for the better

Air temperature and air quality are two different things. Simply heating and cooling the air in a shelter does not mean the quality of the air will be acceptable—that air could still have a high particulate count or may contain aerosolized germs, like those that can cause infectious respiratory disease in dogs. According to the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, the standard recommendation for ventilation in an animal facility is 10-20 room air exchanges per hour.

Let fresh air in

Whenever you can, safely open the windows and doors to allow outside air into the shelter. Just be sure that there is no risk of escape and that animals won’t be exposed to temperature extremes as a result.

Utilize outdoor space whenever possible

Allowing animals access to the outdoors will help improve the air quality for each individual animal—while also providing enrichment.

Minimize irritants

Spot cleaning with wet rags instead of spraying water and chemicals can help to reduce airborne irritants, keeping the animals more comfortable.

Dry it, you'll like it

Humid air can harbor germs. So after cleaning, be sure to dry kennels thoroughly with squeegees and towels.

Learn more on this topic:

• Webinar Recording: Design for Health: Building Animal Welfare into Shelter Construction
• Webinar Recording: Shelter Guidelines: Sanitation
• Download: Shelter Care Checklists: Putting ASV Guidelines into Action