All About the New Center
On April 1st, 2021, we opened our new Lesly S. Smith Pet Adoption Center. Our state-of-the-art, 28,000 square feet facility is designed to be the best environment for the animals and a welcoming experience for the public. The new Center includes the latest advances in showcasing our animals, allowing prospective families to see the dogs and cats at their best. It offers the kind of housing, training, and interactive spaces that will allow for increased animal enrichment and decreased noise levels, thus reducing the stress of being in a shelter. The Center features weather-wise play areas for exercise and behavioral training as well as efficient, dynamic adoption counseling areas immediately accessible to families wishing to offer a dog or cat a forever home.
Classroom facilities in the new Center for Canine and Feline programs provide quality humane education programs that are sorely lacking in our community. Educating more people – youth in particular – about the humane treatment of animals, is critical to the prevention of cruelty, abuse, and the abandonment of animals.
The Pet Adoption Center also includes a veterinarian office, volunteer office, a large volunteer workroom/conference room, a volunteer lounge, and a general conference room, as well as a grooming room and photography studio.
Our Pet Adoption Center has been designed by Jackson & Ryan Architects of Houston, Texas, specialists in the field of state-of-the-art animal shelter design. The vision was brought to life by KAST Construction. KAST Construction is the largest general contractor in Palm Beach County and one of the largest privately held construction companies in the Southeast. With offices in West Palm Beach, Miami, and Tampa, KAST Construction’s core markets include condominium, multifamily, senior living, hospitality, private clubs, commercial offices, healthcare, municipal, educational and corporate. They were named by Florida Trend as one of the “Best Places to Work”.
Thank You to our Campaign Contributors
We extend heartfelt thanks to all of our wonderfully generous contributors who helped to build the new, state-of-the-art Lesly S. Smith Pet Adoption Center for the animals of Palm Beach County.
View architectural plans of the new Pet Adoption Center!
Check out a video tour of our building progress!
There are still opportunities to donate to our Homeless No More Campaign!
Join us for campus tours of our new Adoption facilities!
Cat Adoption Wing
The Cat Adoption Wing includes four large group cat apartments with catios, allowing the animals to access freely an outdoor area facing butterfly gardens. A central cat tower with condos for cats who prefer to be housed individually fills the center of the Cat Adoption Wing, with Cat Colony Rooms for small groups of related kitties completing the range of living spaces.
Dog Adoption Wings
Our Dog Adoptions Facilities consist of three Adoption Wings. Each Dog Wing includes large Dog Adoption Rooms for groups of compatible animals as well as individual dog kennels, all with outdoor patios readily accessible to the animals housed there. At the end of each wing, there is an outdoor dog play yard where daily playgroups will be held, covered to protect from strong sun and rain, and with fans to circulate and cool the air.
Other Projects Completed
Pond / Nature Walk
The retention pond at the Military Trail entrance to the property was relocated to the east end of our 13.5 acres. This new pond, donated in memory of Gilbert S. Kahn, has been designed in the shape of a dog bone! It features a ¼ -mile walking path lined with new trees that, over time, will grow into those that provide color and those that provide shade.
Benches
Comfortable benches featuring artistic dye-cuts of pawprints and bones are placed along the path for visitors wishing to rest in this gentle wooded space.
Turning Lane
A first-ever turn lane has been created for our Military Trail entrance, leading into new, wider gates set back further from that busy thoroughfare, reducing back up and creating a less crowded entry-way into our grounds.
Fencing
Handsome new fencing along the south side of our widened entrance on Military.
