OGDEN -- Birds of prey and slithering snakes may coexist later this year at the Carol Conroy Browning-Ogden Animal Shelter.
The city plans to merge the shelter's operations in early fall with an expanded Weber County Shelter at 1373 N. 750 West.
A portion of the vacant Carol Conroy Browning-Ogden Animal Shelter at 1490 Park Blvd. will then become the home of the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping sick, injured or orphaned native birds.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is being housed temporarily in the former Brookside Animal Hospital at 138 West 12th St., which is up for sale.
The operation hasn't had a permanent home since leaving the Ogden Nature Center in June because of funding issues.
City officials also hope part of the Carol Conroy SClBBrowning-Ogden Animal Shelter will house numerous snakes from West Valley-based Reptile Rescue Inc., said John Patterson, chief administrative officer for the city.
Jim Dix, owner of Reptile Rescue, said he has had preliminary discussion with city officials and will consider placing snakes at the facility.
Dix currently keeps about 200 snakes and about 75 turtles at his West Valley home that serves as headquarters for Reptile Rescue. He nurses reptiles back to health and uses them to train animal control officers and for educational purposes.
Birds and snakes could safely coexist at the Carol Conroy Browning-Ogden Animal Shelter because they would be caged and separated in the building by a hallway and doors, said Patterson.
"Some birds may be looking for dinner across one way (at the snakes) and some reptiles may be looking for dinner across the other way (at the birds)," Patterson joked, acknowledging that birds and snakes in the same facility would be an unusual combination.
The animal shelter is well-suited for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Reptile Rescue because of its rustic setting and proximity to the adjacent Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park and Big Dee Sports Park, said Patterson.
"There is outdoor space and cool shade in the summer," he said.
The shelter would likely be leased to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and Reptile Rescue for a nominal fee, said Patterson.
The animal shelter is a perfect fit for the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and will allow the city to put the vacant facility to good use, said DaLyn Erickson, the rehabilitation center's executive director.
"It will show that Ogden supports environmental concerns," she said.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation Center currently cares for about 60 birds, including golden eagles, falcons and great horned owls. The center helped about 1,300 birds in 2009 and returned about 65 percent back to the wild, Erickson said.
Birds that aren't healthy enough to be released are provided to licensed facilities, such as zoos.
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