Animal Shelter

The Durham County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $5.6 million design contract with RND Architects, marking a major step toward building a new, modern Animal Shelter at 1117 Junction Road to replace the outdated East Club Boulevard facility. 

The new shelter is planned as a significant investment in the County’s animal welfare capacity. Currently estimated at $55 million to construct, the building is planned to span approximately 37,000 square feet indoors, along with 6,700 square feet of covered outdoor areas. Among the planned improvements are separating dogs and cats into dedicated wings to reduce stress and improve care, and a fully equipped medical clinic. 

Beyond expanding capacity, the new layout addresses challenges that have long affected the current facility. Separate entrances for adoptions and surrenders will allow families to experience these emotionally different processes without overlapping, and private rooms will offer a more private environment for meeting new pets or saying difficult goodbyes. These changes reflect both evolving best practices in animal care and lessons learned during the pandemic that reshaped intake patterns and prompted revisions to the prior design.  

With design funding secured, the County now enters a phase focused on detailed architectural development, site permitting, and extensive preparation of the undeveloped land at Junction Road, including environmental and geotechnical assessments and significant utility extensions. Construction itself will follow these foundational steps, with the new shelter anticipated to open in 2030, offering the community a modern facility built for a 50‑year plus lifespan.  

Community advocates, volunteers, and County leaders have emphasized that this project is long overdue—and deeply needed. The unanimous vote reflects shared commitment across local government and the animal welfare community to providing a safe, healthy, and welcoming environment for animals and the people who care for them. As work begins, the new Durham Animal Shelter stands as a major milestone in strengthening the region’s capacity to support both animal wellbeing and public service. 

Adoptable dogs can be found here. 

Adoptable cats can be found here. 

Other adoptable animals can be found here.  

This update was drafted by Copilot and heavily edited by humans.