California's First Animal Community Center - Humane Society

[Annces]

Santa Clara, CA, March 12
Enviroment News Service

On March 28, Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) will open California's first regional Animal Community Center that will change the way you think about an animal shelter. The center is one of the first environmentally certified "Green" Animal Community Centers in the United States to offer cage-less animal care and couple an adoption program with a full spectrum of pet and community services under one roof.

"We wanted to make Humane Society Silicon Valley not only the best place to adopt a pet, but the best place to learn about, engage with, and celebrate animals," says HSSV President Christine Benninger. "With our enlightened architecture and design, and home-like habitats for animals awaiting adoption, our center offers a healthy, friendly and comfortable environment for both people and pets that we believe will change the way people view animals, treat animals, and live with animals. Once people visit our new center, they'll realize it's so much more than an animal shelter. That's why we're calling it an Animal Community Center."

HSSV will hold an Open House on Saturday, March 28 from 10 am to 6 pm to showcase the center's new programs and services. The center is located at 901 Ames Avenue near Milpitas Boulevard and Montague Expressway and easily accessible to Highways 101 and 237 and Interstates 680 and 880.

One-Of-A-Kind Center
The new 48,000 square-foot Animal Community Center is situated on nearly five acres of land. Key Features include an affordable Spay/Neuter Medical Center; a Community Dog Park and Training Center; Doggie Daycare, Boarding and Grooming; a Veterinary Hospital with a public viewing room; an Education Center with programs for children, teens and families; a Community events room; a Pet store, and a Pet-friendly cafe.

The cage-less animal habitats will simulate home environments, enabling real-world training opportunities as well as greatly reducing animal stress and behavioral issues created by traditional shelter designs. The center will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 animal adoptions a year.

"We're breaking out of the old paradigm of an animal shelter being a warehouse full of cages for unwanted pets," Benninger remarks.

http://world-wire.com/news/0903120003.html


(This is the future of animal welfare, more far reaching than just adoptions).

[ensho]

1. kick

nt

[Merlot]

2. Sounds very dog oriented? Are they including cats?

My concen is if the animals apper to be in a nice habitat people will be less inclined to "rescue" them.

[XemaSab]

4. Apparently Matuska just curled up in a ball and GROWLED at visitors

When I went to the shelter, I said to the staff there "pick me out a rescue dog."

They picked out Matty, and they said they were worried nobody would want her.

She was SO SCARED... for the first 10 minutes. She's been friendly and outgoing ever since. :P

[kestrel91316]

3. Cage-less cat shelter = disease factory. IMHO.

If somebody has vomiting or diarrhea and there are lots of cats together, how the hell will they figure out who it is??

That's right. They won't. This is not smart from a disease prevention and management standpoint. If you want to have two cats together, that's not bad. But no large groups.

[Merlot]

5. That and the fact that cats are territorial and will fight more than dogs

A few cats in a large space might do ok. They should be in large enough cages that they can climb and exercise. Vertical cages make more sense for cats.

And agreed that it would be hard to tell who's sick, though I would hope the sheleter would test animals before putting them with other animals and up for adpotion.