Progressive Animal Shelter Design

NEWS 

What is happening right now!

Star Community Newspaper, TX

7/9/08 - The city of Carrollton has selected Quorum Architects to plan and design a new animal shelter to meet the growing need for more space.

Akron Ohio News, OH

2/7/08 - Summit County is embarking on a LEED certified shelter.

Cape Gazette, DE

1/31/08 - Safe Haven plans environmentally friendly animal shelter with architect David Quillin. He has no other shelters or health care facilities in his resume, so I hope her hires some smart consultants.

LA Daily News, CA

1/28/08 - Problems surface at the brand new Los Angeles animal shelters. Councilman Dennis Zine asks "They designed these and I'm not sure they really looked at our needs here." Every shelter designer need to pay attention.

Inhabitat

1/18/08 - Four architecture students partner with Rural Studios to build a new kennel for Hale County Animal Shelter. I am ridiculously jealous and proud.

Architects doing good 

Ankrom Moisan Architects

There work has integrity, and I really hope they take on more shelter projects. Their site shows renderings only.

Animal Arts

The architectural firm of Gates Hafen Cochrane, has an interesting portfolio of animal shelter and vet facilities. I haven't had time to really study the work, but it is there.

ARQ Architects

They are the most forward thinking Architecture firm out there creating animal shelters. I worship and admire them even though they don't answer emails from over enthusiastic grad students.

Bacon Group Architects

Good photo documentation, lots of projects!

BDA Architecture

They say they are "Leading the World in Animal Care Facilities" which is probably true. I think their work is a little more middle of the road, but that says more about the clients.

Connolly Architects

Connolly Architects is on the forefront of the development of architectural solutions of the problems of animal shelters.

Grinsfelder Associates

Not the most inspiring images of shelter design... actually rather appalling... but they are the front runner for the eventual Hendricks County shelter (Indiana), which might actually happen someday if the Commissioner would learn to trust Grinsfelder Associates and the Hendricks County Humane Society who offered to pay $80,000 the architect's fee.

George Miers and Associates

With many animal shelters in their portfolio, I was practically interested in George Miers and Associates because of my personal interaction with the Oakland SPCA's "PeopleSoft" Adoption Facility (note that the founder of PeopleSoft is also the founder of Maddie's Fund) where I adopted my first two cats. They also designed the Rochester Humane Society's Lollypop Farm Shelter, a beautiful barn-like home for any animal in need.

Humaine Animal Care Services

A great "How to..." for beginning thought on shelter design.

RFA

With about 350 animal care facilities under their belt, they have it shelter design down. The design itself is a bit "vanilla" for me, but I've finally found someone who publishes their floor plan!

Shelter Design Details/Overviews 

Organ Humane Society

Virtual tour of the shelter; built in 2000 by Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects.

Noise in the Animal Shelter Environment

Crista L. Coppola's study on noise control for shelter design.

Product and Materal Resources 

Hound Quarters

Outstanding provider of Pre-Fab Kennels.

Shor-Line

Holding kennels, not very pretty, but very practical.

K9 Grass

This artifical grass designed specifacly for kennels and dog facilities has been used in public shelters (such as San Francisco Animal Care & Control)to private doggie daycare facilities (such as Bed and Biscuit(NY))

Animal Shelter Design: Information from the Experts 

Forsyth County Animal Control

In 2002 Forsyth County Animal Control asked the Human Society to review their operation. The entire review is available in PDF on their website. It is very specific and detailed, I found Chapter 4 - Shelter Interior Design and Layout to be extremely interesting.

Animal Sheltering Magazine

A great magazine about Animal Sheltering (as if that wasn't obvious) put out by the Humane Society. The web site has PDF versions of all the magazines articles going back to 1997. An excellent resource.

Nathan Winograd on the Tompkins County SPCA

This is an interesting and inspiring outline of the philosophy of the Tompkins County SPCA. It focuses on how to change the way people think and feel about the validly of the "No Kill" system.

No Kill Solutions

The offical webpage of Nathan Winograd.

No Kill Now Resources

Comprehensive "no kill" link list.

No Kill Sheltering Magazine

Perhaps the best source for up to date information regarding ther philosophy and strategies of the No Kill movement.

Adopt a friend 

Petfinder

Pet adoption listing for thousands of independent shelters and rescue groups. I found one of my cats through Petfinder and was able to support a small local cat rescue group (WillyB's Cats) I would have never heard about otherwise.

Kitty Kind

A personal favorite of mine. They also have a wealth of information on cat care.

No Kill Cities 

San Francisco, CA

While I've heard conflicting report all circling around the rhetoric of "No Kill"- for what it is worth, San Francisco is America's first No Kill city.

Tompkins County, NY

While I hate this web page (any web designers feeling generous?)... This is the current shelter being run by Nathan Winograd, the superstar of the no kill movement. The shelter was designed by AQR Architects, who have very nice rendering and sections on there website of this shelter.

Maddie's Fund

Maddie's Fund is National No Kill support system, allocating grants and information to any city interested in improving animal care. It was founded by Dave Duffield (Founder of PeopleSoft, Inc.) and his wife Cheryl in 1997, and has played a role in the cities of New York, San Francisco, Austin, Miami, ect. These are good people.

Soon to be No Kill Cities 

Los Angeles, CA

With the current re hauling of Los Angeles area animal shelters and the recent acquisition of Director Ed Boks, Los Angeles is finally on its way to becoming a No Kill city. This link it to the LA Engineering departments overview of the shelter program, with statistic outlines, shelter rendering, and a monthly report on the building progress.

New York, NY

New York has slowly declined into one of the worst cities for animal care and protection. Now, with the help of Maddie's Fund, New York has set the goal to become (the first) No Kill city by 2008. (I say the first because, according to Ed Boks, San Francisco is not truly No Kill). The Mayor's Alliance brings together animal activist and welfare groups and sponsors citywide adoption, spay/neuter, and educational activities throughout the city.

Albuquerque, NM 2009

Mayor Chavez Intends to Make Albuquerque a No-Kill City by the time he leaves office in 2009.

Philadelphia, PA - 2015

Nathan Winograd has already consulted with the Alliance for Philadelphia's Animals and the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association to bring the No Kill movement to Philadelphia.

Austin, TX TBD

This 3-29-06 article on News 8 Austin shows Austin is on its way to becoming a no kill city.

Jacksonville, FL TBD

UPDATE 4/7/07 - 67 cats and kittens and 18 dogs and puppies were killed in an horrible fire. ------As of October 2005 the Jacksonville Humane Society has gone no kill! Unfortunately, animals are still being put down in the by city animal control, but it is a start. The link above is to a Maddie's Fund interview with Joe Cannon, Director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.

Jacksonville, FL - FIRE

Aerial photos of the burned out building.