LAKE DALLAS — The city’s new animal shelter opened in time for the West family to do a little pet shopping before Christmas.

Although Gabriel, 5, and Ellie, 7, got the message loud and clear from their mom and dad: “They said, ‘Maybe,’” the brother and sister chimed together.

Denton resident Cheryl West didn’t have much time to tell the kids that it was important to find a good match, since she and her husband, David, had surprised the kids by pulling up in front of the shelter Tuesday morning. They found the new location, which is about a quarter-mile farther down Lakeview Drive than the old building, after reading about a beagle the Lake Dallas city shelter had listed on Petfinder.com.

Gabriel and Ellie were both concerned about their little sister, Abbie, 3, and finding a dog big enough that she wouldn’t sit on it.

Shelter director Mellonie Frazier had brought out Noel, a young Labrador, and her three puppies, Blitzen, Dasher and Prancer, to the visitation room —  a feature in the new building that wasn’t available at the old shelter. For five or 10 minutes, the children and puppies romped all over the room and their parents, as well as Frazier, co-worker Krystle Pond and Humane Society representative Jenny Baker.

Abbie thought the puppies were cute and fuzzy.

“Puppies! Puppies! Puppies!” she said, stomping her feet. “Ruff!”

After a few minutes, the family went into the kennel area to see what other dogs were available. The new shelter has an outdoor run and three times the kennel space for dogs, as well as a separate quarantine area with its own ventilation system.

Frazier said the Labrador-mix puppies were just 3 weeks old and would not be ready for adoption until January. Noel was a stray that a local family was trying to look after, but when three of her other puppies died in the cold, they called the shelter. In her efforts to get Noel back in good health, Frazier was cooking turkey and rice for the new mom at home.

“Usually, when there are stomach problems, the remedy is a day or two without food,” Frazier said, “But she’s nursing. At first, she had hardly any milk. I thought I was going to be bottle-feeding these pups.”

Noel was recovering well, Frazier said, and the surviving puppies were strong and curious. Baker hoped to foster the canine family, so that they had time to grow and be placed appropriately. Dogs can live 15 years or more, so caring for them is a commitment.

After visiting with a chocolate Lab, the West family went into the cat area. Visitors can watch the kittens and cats from viewing windows on the outside and decide which animal’s temperament best suits their family. A black kitten named Ralphie spent his morning throwing punches through the bars at the two older cats on either side of him. Leo, who is about 6 months old, frequently took the bait.

Police Lt. Wes Frazier said the shelter has been busy since staff members moved in the second week of December. Whether it was the cold weather or the economy, he couldn’t be sure why there was an increase in the number of animals coming in.

Mellonie Frazier said three animals were released to them in the past two weeks by owners who could no longer afford to care for their animals.

“One woman had to give up her 10-week-old dachshund because she was moving into an apartment with her grandmother and she couldn’t afford the pet deposit,” Frazier said.

The West family was ready to make the commitment, though. For Christmas, they took home a neutered, 3-year-old orange tabby and named him Chester.

“He’s the most curious cat I’ve ever seen. Ever since we brought him home, he’s stuck his nose in every nook and cranny in the house,” David West said. “The kids love him.”

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com.

DON’T SHOP, ADOPT

The following animals are ready for adoption at the new Lake Dallas Animal Shelter, 687 N. Lakeview Drive. The shelter is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 940-497-7090.

DOGS

Ace, a young male coonhound mix

Dakota, a young male Australian shepherd mix

Echo, a young female shepherd/Australian cattle dog/blue heeler mix

Max, an adult male Labrador mix

Rufus, an adult male flat-coated retriever mix

Sarg, a young male chocolate Labrador

Snoopy, a male beagle-mix puppy

Socs, a young female Labrador/American Staffordshire terrier mix

CATS

Leo, a young male gray tabby

Ralphie, a male kitten, black short hair

Vixen, a female kitten, tortoiseshell