May 16, 2015
Camden County Animal Shelter/for PhillyVoice
Jada, a female Retriever-Labrador mix up for adoption at the Camden County Animal Shelter
An expansion and redesign of the Camden County Animal Shelter began last October after the county freeholder board committed $1.5 million in funding to bolster the shelter's services.
The construction scene, adjacent to the existing building on County House Road in Gloucester County, is now in the final stages of the 3,500 square-foot expansion, according to NJ.com, and the additions will make for an environment much more conducive to the mission of saving animals' lives.
The expansion includes a cattery that will increase adoption rates by providing cats who don't handle cages well more room to roam. There will also be added space for dog-runs that will accommodate various-sized dogs at the shelter. In all, the expansion is projected to grow capacity by 50 more cats and 30 more dogs (the shelter currently houses 250 cats and more than 100 dogs).
One of the most important additions will be individual meeting rooms where families looking to adopt can spend 1-on-1 time with animals, a major improvement over the current situation.
The shelter believes that the additional space and greater organization will help more of its animals find homes in the community and beyond. As executive director Vicki Roland told NJ.com, "There is a science behind it."
The project is set for completion by the end of the summer.
