Phase 1 of construction slated to open to the public this December
PIMA COUNTY – Construction work on Pima Animal Care Center's new modern-care animal shelter has progressed significantly over the last several months reaching 70-percent completion. The new building, which is Phase 1 of construction, is scheduled to open to the public this December.
As of Sept. 12, Sundt contractors had completed most of the exterior work for the new building, including the framing, outer shell and most of the roofing. Next up will be the entry drive and parking areas. Meanwhile, inside the shelter, contractors have already started building walls for the various sections, including the new clinic and dog housing areas.
When finished, the new shelter will nearly double in size, measuring at about 60,000-square- feet with about 93-percent of this total area allocated to functions that directly house or support the housing, care, and adoption of pets at PACC.
“This new facility is going to be a game changer for PACC,” said Kristen Auerbach, PACC Director. “The community support and anticipation around the construction has been incredible. The new PACC was designed with the care of the pets in mind and we can’t wait to open the doors to Phase I in December.”
The shelter will have all the necessary features to ensure it meets modern day standards recommended for animal care facilities across the country. Features will include separation of species throughout the facility, adequately sized housing areas for dogs and cats, and improved natural light and ventilation in pet housing areas. In addition, the shelter will have 10 meet-and-greet areas where people can interact with pets and nine play yards for pets to unwind, among other exciting new features.
The new facility will also have an expanded veterinary clinic, indoor and outdoor dog housing, cat group housing areas, and other design features to safeguard the health of pets during their stay at PACC, from admission to adoption.
The elements incorporated into the design of PACC’s new shelter resulted from input received from two animal shelter design consultants, Animal Arts Design and UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program, led by the local design firm Line and Space.
To stay updated with the latest project information, visit the PACC bond construction webpage, follow PACC’s Facebook page, and view PACC’s Flickr album, which documents the expansion of PACC’s new animal care campus from beginning to date.