MESA, AZ — Maricopa County Animal Care and Control says it is hoping to open its long-anticipated East Valley animal shelter in early 2024.
ABC15 reached out to county officials Wednesday to ask about the progress on the new shelter, which we first reported on in 2018.
Officials say they expect the new East Valley facility to open in early 2024.
MCACC says for a brief period it had hoped to open the new shelter in the fall of 2023, but construction delays pushed that timeline back to January or February of next year.
The new facility will be located at the county-owned campus in Mesa at Mesa Drive and Baseline Road (1920 S. Lewis).
The Board of Supervisors approved funding for its construction in May 2021.
MCACC has posted pictures and videos of progress at the new campus, with the last updates appearing to be in January 2023.
The current East Valley shelter at Loop 101 and Rio Salado Parkway has remained open and is expected to remain open until the new shelter is built.
Five years ago, officials said the new shelter would offer the same services as the Rio Salado location but in a space deemed better for the animals.
"Our goal has and will always be the care and comfort of our animals within our facility," said Mary Martin, who was the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Executive Director at the time. "The current East shelter simply does not meet industry standards. A new facility will help keep animals there comfortable, healthy and adoptable and give ample coverage to that community as well."
Meanwhile, Maricopa County has seemingly ongoing overcrowding of animals at its East and West Valley shelters, commonly asking the community to adopt and foster animals.
They often hold adoption deals and waive fees to help clear kennel space for more animals in need.
In 2022, MCACC data shows more than 18,000 pets entered its system. As of August, nearly 11,000 pets have entered the MCACC system in 2023.
