Animal Protectors' new facility in New Kensington nears completion

The cement already is poured for the “catio” and framing installed for the addition of dog kennels at a former school in New Kensington’s Parnassus neighborhood that will soon be an animal shelter.

Officials from Animal Protectors of Allegheny Valley say the finish line is in sight for the New Kensington-based animal shelter after years of trying to find a new location and raising money.

So far, they’ve raised $970,000 toward the project originally bid at $1.3 million. However, soil replacement and a new roof will push the costs up a bit more, according to Phyllis Framel, Animal Protectors’ treasurer and chairwoman of the capital campaign for the new shelter.

Construction is well underway with contractors buzzing around the almost four-acre site with a two-story, brick school house providing 14,000-square feet of shelter space — about four times the current shelter’s size.

If all goes according to plan, construction should be complete in November, according to Framel.

The project is running a bit behind schedule with the discovery of bad fill material that has been replaced.

While Framel wishes the project was done, her excitement grew this week as she toured the interior of the building, where contractors erected framing for the rooms.

“That room is for storage,” Framel said, smiling.

There is no storage room inside the current shelter along Linden Avenue. Instead, the shelter uses outside sheds.

“This is going to be a conference room so we won’t have to meet at Eat ‘n’ Park anymore,” she said.

There’s a break room where staff can eat instead of dining in their cars or in the office. The break room also will provide a much-needed reprieve for staff.

“What we do is very emotional,” Framel said of dealing with injured, abandoned or very sick animals. “There’s no place for staff to decompress or just catch their breath.”

The rescued animals also will benefit with expanded facilities providing better services and a showcase for potential pet owners to visit.

Rooms include a cat roam room, a “catio” outdoor patio, a cat medical room, separate rooms for cats and kittens and a greeting room. For the dogs, there will be three sets of kennels, a dog medical space and a room just for grooming. Additionally, there will be office space and a training and education room.

Animal Protectors still is fundraising, offering the naming rights for the new shelter at $1 million and some individual rooms. Memorial tiles, along with artistic images of dogs and cats also are available.