Orchid The new single story, 15,000 square foot El Cajon Animal Shelter is a state-of-the-art facility that opened to the public on June 2, 2018. It is nearly triple the size of its predecessor, built in 1950. The new facility provides animal care services for El Cajon and La Mesa, including pet adoption services, housing for dogs, cats, small mammals, and reptiles, veterinary services for sick and injured animals, grooming areas, play/interaction areas, exercise yards, retail for pet supplies, and administrative offices. It has up to 7,000 square feet of entitled expansion to accommodate future programs. The no-kill shelter was paid for by sales tax revenue under Proposition O, passed by voters in 2004.
Twenty percent of the floor plan is designated for public spaces, forty percent is dedicated to animal housing, and the remaining forty percent is used by staff and building support. The shelter has the capacity to house 218 animals, evenly split between cats and dogs with approximately five percent designated for small mammals and reptiles. Kennels are expandable to allow dogs to move freely between interior and exterior environments, offering flexibility to accommodate population spikes, and provide ease of maintenance for cleaning staff.
The building interiors integrate Fear-Free design concepts to reduce stress and anxiety among the animals. The color palette utilizes sage greens, muted blues, and violets, promoting relaxation for the animals. Matte finishes give animals a sense of grounding as they circulate the space. Separate areas are designated for cats and dogs, appropriately sized for each species and organized to avoid face-to-face contact. Separate mechanical zones minimize odor and disease transfer. Monolithic materials including resinous flooring with coved base, sheet vinyl with integral base, solid surface sills, and high-performance coatings require less harsh cleaners to disinfect and improve drying in areas that are hosed or mopped. Cleanable, moisture-resistant acoustical ceiling tile and wall panels offset hard surfaces and absorb sound. Perimeter glazing and tubular daylighting devices support the circadian rhythms of the animals and staff.
The facility leverages exterior real estate for programmed square footage, reducing the overall construction cost, operational costs, and energy use. Approximately twenty five percent of the animal housing is located in secure, covered exterior areas, equipped with radiant heaters and naturally ventilated to keep the animals comfortable throughout the year, reducing the demand for mechanically conditioned space. A 97 kW roof-mounted photovoltaic system, oriented for optimal production, is anticipated to offset eighty three percent of the facility’s annual energy use.
With a team of 20 architects, designers, artisans, and engineers, and over 600 construction managers and builders, it is a fraction of the effort compared to that of the larger community, who, with unbridled passion and compassion, believed in a common goal that made this vision a reality. This fundamentally necessary project gives animals the chance at a better life in finding their forever families. According to Dirk Epperson, City of El Cajon Director of Public Works, “The new animal shelter is 15,000 square feet of awesomeness!”
Address:
1373 North Marshall Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92020
Project Owner/Developer:
City of El Cajon
Contact Name/Email:
Dirk Epperson/ depperson@cityofelcajon.us
Project Architect/Designer:
Ferguson Pape Baldwin Architects
So glad to see a shelter that is bright and happy while these animals wait for their fur-ever home!
Such a great cause and beautiful project!
Such a beautiful facility and wonderful addition to the City of El Cajon!
What a charming, vibrant animal shelter! Great to see design choices that offer stress relief for animals.
Proud to have been apart of this project!
Very creative building and landscape design. Much needed within the community.
Such a great facility and a beautiful place to help find homes for these precious animals! Amazing building!!
I attended the grand opening and I saw all of the beautiful animals in their great home. This building is truly a gem of El Cajon.
An absolutely beautiful facility and upbeat environment for the precious animals!
Such an impactful project not only in aesthetics, but cause as well.
Gorgeous facility!
Beautiful facility! What a wonderful addition to the City of El Cajon. Here’s to placing more animals in their forever homes!
This building was overall beautiful! The circular lobby opens its arms to the public at the entrance and the vibrant colors makes the building feel more than just a local animal shelter. What surprised me was the amount of daylight entering in the space and the open yard space for the animals to roam around in. This isn’t just another beautiful building but a symbol of the communities’ ambitions to give animals a better place to stay in. 🙂
Great project! I am so glad to see this nominated.
Wow! Great facility and addition to the city!
Excellent to see this wonderful addition to the the community! May many more lonely animals be connected to families because of it.
Beautiful facility and fantastic design!
What a beautiful solution for the community. Well done everyone!