The $92 million project to construct an abandoned animal care facility in the Baychester neighborhood of the Bronx was officially kicked off yesterday by the Department of Design and Construction (DDC) of New York City.
When it opens in the spring of 2025, the 50,000-square-foot facility, which will be run by Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC), will have room for 70 abandoned dogs, 140 abandoned cats, 30 abandoned rabbits, and 20 other species of animals.
While ACC searches for potential adoptive parents, staff will tend after the animals. Pet abandonment rates increased in New York last year as household budgets were squeezed by growing inflation.
In comparison to the same period in 2021, ACC observed a 25% increase in the number of pets left at its facilities in the first half of 2022. That came after a surge in pet purchases during the early stages of the COVID epidemic in 2020.
City Council Banned The Selling of Guinea Pigs In Pet Stores
The New York City Council banned the selling of guinea pigs in pet stores as a response to an increase in abandoned ones last month in an effort to encourage prospective owners to adopt abandoned ones instead.
The new facility will contain yards where people can meet dogs they might wish to adopt as well as covered exercise runs. Marvel Architects created it so that it might receive the Leed Silver Certification for environmental sustainability.
Former House For NYPD Trailers
The city-owned property, which formerly housed NYPD trailers, is situated between Project Hope, a senior residential building, and the Red Lobster restaurant in the Bay Plaza Mall. The mall is surrounded by sections of Co-op City, a sizable affordable housing cooperative that the Riverbay Corporation, which oversees it, claims is the biggest in the world.
The colossal 50,000-square-foot facility at 2060 Bartow Ave. will have room for 20 more types of animals in addition to 70 dogs and 140 cats. The facility will offer entry, adoption, and a low-cost veterinary clinic.
The Facility Will Offer Volunteer Opportunities
According to the NYC Department of Design and Construction, the facility would contain covered exercise runs, courtyards, and community space. According to city officials, the facility will offer volunteer opportunities for the elderly as well as educational programs for children.
The nonprofit Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) runs the city's animal shelters, which are regulated by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
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