There are many considerations one needs to keep in mind when planning and/or building an animal shelter, pet rescue, or so forth. This article lists the minimum that a building should have if it is to be open to the public.

Four Exterior Doors

Two “Front” doors will be for common use. These can be designated in any fashion, and should be separated. This could be entrance/exit – which would keep incoming animals away from out going animals – saving on confusing and health concerns when unknown animals are being admitted. This could be a cat/dog door, with all cats coming and going out a door separate to that of dogs – saving problems when an animal of one type is not good with that of another also allowing staff to deal with specific animals of their knowledge. This could be and lost & found/adoption relationship where by all strays are taken in and claimed by people going to one door, and all owners surrendering their pets, or looking to adopt go to the other door.

The other two doors (as we mentioned four exterior doors) are for allowing dogs that are in the shelter to be let out for exercise. Two doors are specified rather than one as dogs in adoption (and therefor vaccinated) should never be in contact with stray dogs (with unknown health histories).

Office Area

An area needs to be established to be the office, this could be one large area between the two main doors, or can exit as two parts, one at each front door. The office area should be equipped with file cabinets (for records on pets as many shelters keep past records for a few years), as well as for having information sheets on pet care, adoption contracts, relinquishment contracts, and so forth. The office area will also need a computer system, payment system, photocopier, and lots of counter space. There should also be a seating area.

Consultation Room

This could be a private room, or private area of the office and would be where people are counseled in regards to their pet choice, and adoption contracts are drawn up.

Staff Room

The employees will need a place to put their coats, purses, car keys, and so forth as well as an area to sit for their lunch breaks. If volunteers are allowed at the shelter they may be allowed in this room, or given access to another room.

Laundry

Many shelters have at least two areas for doing laundry, one area for the animals in adoption, and one for the stray animals. This keeps contamination to a minimum and saves the staff waiting time as doing the laundry can take a good portion of the day. By having two areas, each with industrial washing machines, and driers, a lot of time can be saved.

Several Rooms for the Pets

A good shelter will have at least 8 rooms for the animals. There will be a room where the adoption dogs are, the adoption cats, as well as a separate room for puppies and one for kittens (this decreases health concerns). There also need to be rooms for the new cats, new dogs, sick cats, sick (or dangerous) dogs. Each room should have several cages, cupboards and be equipped with its own broom, dishes, and other supplies.

Typically the pets are kept in cages, and especially if not vaccinated should not be allowed out to play loose in the room, however the animals in the adoption area are often let out of their cages in the day, perhaps all at once, or a select few out every few hours.

By Ciell [CC-BY-SA-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Other Rooms

There should also be a “Medical” room. This room should be fitted with a table and used by the veterinarian when they do checks, and vaccinations.

Each area (adoption, and where the strays are kept) should have its own “Kitchen”, equipped with a sink for washing dishes, and small refrigerator for storing medications, open cans of canned pet food, KMR, urine samples, and so forth. Many times this room will also have the laundry machines and storage shelving for laundry.

Some shelters keep pet supplies, such as toys, grooming equipment, food, and so forth, in the Kitchen areas, while others have those items kept in the pet rooms themselves.

Outdoor Dog Runs

These should be individual dog runs fenced with chain link, and covered. Either each kennel can have its own outside dog run, or several dog runs can be constructed. Ideally there should be at least 1 dog run for every two dogs, and as such dogs can be rotated. The stray dogs must have a special area where they can get outside as well, and the surface need to be cement so it can be bleached regularly, and particularly after a case of Parvo or other contagious disease. The dog runs for the strays should not be near the adoption dogs, and some shelters have considerably fewer dog runs for stray dogs than for adoption dogs.

Storage Rooms

There will need to be storage rooms, particularly for cleaning supplies, pet carriers, and extra pet food.

Bathrooms

No fewer than two bathrooms are suggested. Ideally one bathroom in the adoption area, and on in the area where the stray pets are kept, thus people working in either area can remain in their area and contamination is reduced (keep in mind that even vaccinated pets can get sick.

Other Rooms

If your shelter is fortunate enough to have the funding additional rooms should be used. Having several adoption rooms for different ages of cats may be beneficial, as well as having a room for other types of pets, rabbits, guinea pigs and so forth. A larger play room for the adoptable cats, with a window, is also a nice touch.

Don't Forget

• Parking
• Areas for Walking Dogs
• Outside Garbage Containers
• Deep Freeze for placing Dead Animals (as when a pet dies in your care or is brought in as a stray found when hit by a car)
• Hot Water Tanks - lots of laundry
• Grooming/Bathing Area
• Good Building Ventilation/ Air Conditioning/ Heating.

Related Links

How to Start a Dog Rescue

How Animal Shelters can Raise Funds

The Difference Between No-Kill and Other Animal Shelters

Facts about Volunteering at an Animal Shelter