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Building Design for Animals
A Look Back: Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center
Bernalillo County Animal Services didn’t have their own shelter. Their goal was an adoption friendly home for their animals and staff.
Bernalillo County Animal Control Department had 11 animal control officers, administrative staff and plenty of animals, but they didn't have their own shelter. Instead, their animals were temporarily housed in an old County fire station and the County had contracts with the City and other out-of-town animal shelters to house its animals. Needing to accommodate their growing needs for animal care, Bernalillo County sought to build their own animal shelter.
Thus, the Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center project began. Selected by the County as the Architect for this new animal shelter, BDA stepped up to the task of designing a facility to meet the County's needs and their goal of building a shelter that would support a high level of animal adoptions.
With this adoption friendly approach in mind, BDA designed an animal care center that was bright and welcoming to the public and displayed animals in a wholesome light meant to encourage adoptions. This 17,186 square foot building incorporates innovative programming features such as individual suites for animal display, private human-animal bonding areas, and animal congregation areas which all showcase animals in a positive, healthy environment. The building houses 156 dogs, 142 cats, and there are multiple accommodations for large and exotic animals.
Natural light is incorporated into all of the animal housing areas to help improve health, stress levels, and circadian rhythm. Durable materials and coordinating colors are used throughout the facility to create a cohesive and harmonious building design that is functional and practical for the staff and animals. There are also public spaces that allow the County to organize community volunteer opportunities and educational and training classes for people and animals, and youth camp programs.
Staff spaces include offices, workstations, conference training room, staff lounge, fenced staff parking and an intake garage. A full veterinary medical facility allows the County to provide medical care to their animals.
The Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center follows through on the adoption friendly mission set forth by the County and the new facilities provide a great working environment for the staff and volunteers while also servicing the community.
