Auburn, Calif. – Placer County's new Animal Services Center opened its doors to the public today in North Auburn. Now that all the animals have been relocated from their dated and worn building across the street in North Auburn into the modern 29,500-square-foot facility that meets Humane Society standards, Animal Services staff can provide even better care for Placer County's rescued animals, and many more services for the people who love them.
The facility sits on 4.3-acres of county land and can house approximately 80 percent more dogs and 75 percent more cats than the previous facility. The new center also has the ability to house more than twice the capacity of animals during large incidents, such as wildfires, than the previous shelter.
"With the cat condos, the visitor-friendly dog bonding areas and the many other improvements we've implemented, we fully expect the adoption rates to skyrocket as a result of this beautiful, new facility," said Wesley Nicks, Placer County director of animal services. "The transformation in the animals in just the first 15 minutes of being in the new building was amazing to watch," he added. "We actually saw the dogs and cats go from extremely stressed, nervous, pacing and noisy or downright depressed – to quieter, happier, a more peaceful state of mind. They are finally able to just relax and be animals."
The $23 million state-of-the-art facility showcases a large public lobby, reception desk, touch screen kiosks, retail space, multipurpose room and both dog and cat adoption areas. Additionally, there is a veterinarian clinic, administration area and an exterior area that will provide an enclosed exercise courtyard, kennels, livestock barn, exercise pasture and agility yards.
Community education classes will be offered at the new facility with a focus on responsible pet ownership. The Animal Ambassador Room will also be available for our non-profit organizations and volunteer partners to use for training, meetings and other activities that benefit the animals.
The shelter is located in the Placer County Government Center, 11232 B Ave. in North Auburn. The front office hours are Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Kennel hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.