City of Detroit
Rendering of the new $6.6 million animal control headquarters and shelter in Detroit.
Construction of a new $6.6 million animal control headquarters and shelter in Detroit will begin in January, city officials announced Wednesday.
The 30,000-square-foot shelter with offices and a veterinary clinic will be located at Ferry and Russell near Wayne County’s new criminal justice complex.
The fury guests are expected to be welcomed into the facility before the end of 2023.
The building was expected to open in spring 2023, but construction was delayed due to a change in the contractor team and some design modifications, city officials said.
“The new facility reunites Animal Care and Animal Control in a combined operations location to better serve Detroiters and their pets,” said Denise Fair Razo, Detroit’s chief public health officer. “The team is excited to move into new quarters with more than 200 kennels, a veterinary clinic, call center, adoption areas, outdoor kennels, pet exercise area, quarantine and isolation areas. This will allow us to provide enhanced service in all areas of animal welfare. We appreciate the support of Detroiters, including rescue groups and especially our elected officials who have championed this effort.”
The new building will provide nearly twice the space as the current headquarters and shelter, with more than 200 kennels, compared to 86 in the current facility.
The new facility will also feature larger outdoor areas for dog runs and a modernized veterinary clinic.
“No one is more eager to complete this new facility than we are,” said Brad Dick, group executive of Detroit’s services and infrastructure. “The new Animal Control facility will increase capacity and enable animal control officers to continue ensuring the safety of Detroit residents. It is critical that we get this right and now that we have the right contractors in place, we are ready to begin construction just after the holidays and honor the City’s commitment to enhance animal welfare for residents and their furry friends.”
Detroit has come under fire for the conditions of its current shelter.
“The new facility will be the culmination of a series of major improvements made within Animal Care and Animal Control in recent years,” said LaJuan Counts, director of the Demolition Department. “This updated expansion plan allows us to completely address the challenges the current facility now faces. When this new shelter is completed, the DACC staff, as well as residents and animals, will have the improved facility they deserve.”
The city provides temporary homes for cats and dogs. Still, thousands of abandoned cats and dogs roam Detroit on any given day.
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