Cat condos and better digs for dogs: DuPage County animal shelter undergoing a $14 million expansion

Cats will have more condo spaces, dogs will have more room to play and a surgical unit will give animals a place to recover at an expanded DuPage County Animal Services shelter.

Construction of a nearly 10,000-square-foot addition to the shelter is expected to be completed in July and renovations to the existing facility will be completed in the fall.

The $14 million project is the first expansion of the Wheaton facility in the agency’s 45-year history.

“It’s going to be a luxury to have twice the space that we have now once it’s all done,” DuPage County Animal Services Operations Manager Laura Flamion said.

The project is being paid for through a mix of public and private funding. DuPage Animal Friends, a nonprofit benefiting the shelter, has helped secure more than $5.6 million for the project and is working on raising another $7.4 million through events and naming rights to features – from dog kennels and trees to the new lobby – in the expanded facility.

“You can tell by the amount of support that there’s a love for animals in the community,” said DuPage County Board member Brian Krajewski, who chairs the board’s animal services committee.

Through the years, supporters have discussed expansion plans. But it wasn’t until July 2023 that those dreams became reality with shovels in the ground.

“I’ve been involved for well over a decade and I’ve seen four different iterations of plans,” Flamion said. “When we started moving forward, it definitely was a pinch-me moment.”

Like Krajewski, Flamion credited the work of volunteers and donors for the expansion. Supporters recently raised $250,000 for the shelter at the DuPage Animal Friends’ annual “Raise the Woof” gala.

“It’s only possible because people in our community believe in what we do and make donations,” she said. “We’re so grateful.”

DuPage County Animal Services annually takes in more than 2,200 animals, including cats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and the occasional hen, goat or peacock. Through the years, the shelter has seen its live release or placement rate increase from about 50% to more than 89% in 2022.

“We are one of the few resources in this area that takes every species of animal regardless of the situation,” Flamion said, adding the shelter was a “safety net” for a variety of animals.

“On any given day, I can walk in and I don’t know what I’m going to get,” Flamion said, noting the shelter also cares for animals involved in cruelty and neglect cases.

The “flexible spaces” the expansion will provide will help make caring for the animals a little easier. The existing shelter lacks space and its hallways regularly house cats, guinea pigs and rabbits.

“We’re very excited to have more appropriate space,” Flamion said.

The expanded facility also will include a large multipurpose room suitable for dog training classes, a triage area in the event of a large intake of animals or a backup area to exercise dogs in bad weather. A “real-life room” will mimic a living room environment to help calm anxious pets.

Renovations in the existing facility will include upgrades to the medical area and the addition of dedicated space for volunteers to work with animals.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240506/news/cat-condos-and-better-digs-for-dogs-dupage-county-animal-shelter-undergoing-a-14-million-expansion/