Kane County officials arrived at the ribbon-cutting for Animal Control’s new doggy water fountain with benches and shelter, formally celebrating the amenity Monday for residents and their four-legged friends.

County Board Chair Corinne Pierog brought her corgi, Nugget, and Board member Cherryl Strathmann of Elgin brought her mini dachshund Agustus Leopold Booger-Butt Strathmann – Gus for short.

The new fountain has a button to press for the water to come out in a ground-level bowl.

Nugget stepped right up and drank.

Gus, on the other hand, walked around the fountain, sniffed and studied it like he thought he might christen it with a whiz. Strathmann gently steered him away from any leg-raising activity.

Animal Control Administrator Brett Youngsteadt explained how the shelter, benches and doggy water fountain came to be – starting with two $10,000 gifts from the Sylvia R. Snyder Estate and the Sharon K. Zagorce Estate.

“Geneva put in this beautiful path to Peck Farm [Park] since we’ve been here. This is long before me,” Youngsteadt said. “We have volunteers that walk our animals here on this path. What we started to realize is there weren’t any poop stations on the path, so that was the first thing we added here.”

They added a garbage can so dog walkers can come off the path, get a bag – if they don’t already have one – and have a place to drop them to keep the area clean for everyone, Youngsteadt said.

“Then from there, we realized, wouldn’t it be great if we could add a water fountain for the animals? So the first donation came ... (from) the Sylvia Snyder Estate, where we were able to add the water station,” Youngsteadt said.

The fountain is connected directly to the building. With the press of a button, water comes out in a bowl at ground level so dogs can drink. It has a slow drain so the water doesn’t stand and get stagnant or full of bugs.

The water connection also allows for cleanup, should an animal make a deposit.

A second donation of $10,000 came from the Sharon K. Zagorce Estate, which paid for the shelter over the fountain and the benches. Both have plaques crediting each estate accordingly.

“I want to encourage people to come out on this beautiful path,” Youngsteadt said.

Other cash donations paid for the two benches on either side of the fountain, Youngsteadt said, with both featuring dog bones and paws.

These donations came in varying amounts from the public – $5, $10, $20 – to pay for the benches and stone landscaping around the area. The plan is for the county’s Environmental Committee to determine what flowers that are not toxic to dogs could be put in between the rocks, Youngsteadt said.

“It will be a very tranquil area for animals and citizens to enjoy with their pets,” he said.

The water fountain and shelter at Animal Control, at 4060 Keslinger Road in Geneva, is accessible on the walking trails from nearby Peck Farm Park at 4038 Kaneville Road.