City of Fernley and Friends of Fernley Animal Services Partnership

The City of Fernley has recently formed a partnership with a newly established group that is

working toward building an animal shelter in Fernley that would support dogs and cats.

The Friends of Fernley Animal Services (FFAS) group was created in partnership with the city to

help with this dream and to help fundraise for the future shelter dedicated to helping Fernley

pets. The board is comprised of members of the animal community, encompassing more than 130

years of combined animal experience in medicine, welfare, and volunteering.

In 2024, Fernley Animal Control officer RanDee Gahr made a presentation to the City Council

advising of the challenges facing the Animal Services department, including the issues of

overcrowding at the Lyon County Shelter, transportation, and the distance with which owners

must travel to reclaim their pets. Fernley has a contract with Lyon County Animal Services to

use their facility, so for the past two decades, any impounded dogs have been housed 20 miles

away, creating difficulties for staff and owners alike.

To complicate things further, the Lyon County Shelter is unable to routinely accept cats, leading

to minimal resources being available for stray and injured felines. The City Council agreed with

the plea for help and in the 25-26 fiscal year budget, allotted $150,000 to a study to begin design,

planning, and drawing a future shelter.

The FFAS website, www.ffasnv.com, contains information about the mission statement, address,

and how to donate. Anyone who would like to be a part of this group or to share thoughts about

events, fundraising, and future shelter plans, is asked to contact Friends of Fernley Animal