What is the Pet Project?

The Pet Project is the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society’s ambitious effort to build a much needed new animal adoption complex and spay/neuter clinic in the community. Our current facility on Black Road has been in operation since 1986 and was built to serve a significantly smaller population in the Valley. As the Santa Maria Valley grows in human population, so does the animal population grow. The Pet Project is our response to this growing need.

Based on the estimated population of some 250,000 living in the SMVHS service area by 2015, the new building will house a 42-run dog adoption facility, a 20-run dog boarding facility for members only, a 10-run dog isolation facility, and expanded cat shelter spaces with more indoor and outdoor living and socializing quarters.

Elevation Details

Floor Plan

The implementation of the PET PROJECT will enable the SMVHS to receive and adopt out twice as many dogs and cats, establish a boarding facility for members, establish a columbarium for the community, provide vaccination services in addition to spay and neuter services, establish a isolation facility for dogs and cats with health problems, enhance our education and outreach program with the addition of a classroom and meeting room, and establish a food bank for an exchange of excess dog and cat food with those in need.

In May of 2004, the Utilities Manager for the City met with the SMVHS Board of Directors (Board) Executive Committee. At that meeting, he informed the Executive Committee that the City had purchased 56 acres of land to accommodate the needed WWTP expansion to meet the population growth, expected to increase from 85,000 in 2004 to 125,000 in 2015. This expansion would essentially stop any further growth of the SMVHS facilities; therefore, the City offered to lease 4 acres of City property bordering the north side of West Stowell Road to the SMVHS for relocation. If the SMVHS elected to relocate, the City would structure the relocation in a joint project with the planned development of the City Police Department vehicle impound yard to be located on 5 acres to the east of the proposed SMVHS acreage. As a joint project, the SMVHS and the Police Department would share a common parking lot between them. Also, the City is considering building and operating an animal shelter adjacent to the proposed SMVHS acreage; if that is done, it would compliment the SMVHS adoption and spay neuter clinic facilities

The SMVHS Board accepted the offer for relocation and formed a Planning Committee in late May of 2004 to plan and manage the project—nicknamed PET PROJECT. The Planning Committee designed the following subcommittees: Fundraising, Publicity, Grants, Construction and Relocation. The Board appointed a Director as a Board Representative and the Operations Manager as an advisor to the Planning Committee. The Planning Committee meets monthly and operates with the consent of the Board.

The project, designed by Palacios and Associates architecture firm, will cost $3.4 million to build and fundraising efforts are currently under way. As of Spring, 2008 $1.3 million has been raised toward this project with significant funding coming from the Woods Family Foundation, The Santa Barbara Foundation, and Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Woods. We plan to reach the half way mark in funding by Summer, 2008 and will then be able to award construction contracts which will coincide with the City’s permitting process. Groundbreaking should begin in Fall of 2008 with our grand opening tentatively scheduled for Winter, 2010.