Berkeley Humane Submits Plans to City of Berkeley for New Shelter

Bay Area Animal Resource Center Closer to Becoming a Reality

BERKELEY, CA, UNITED STATES, November 13, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society (Berkeley Humane) has reached a significant milestone in its 130-year history by submitting new building plans to the City of Berkeley for a state-of-the-art animal shelter and hospital.

Since 1933, Berkeley Humane has been located at the corner of Ninth Street and Carleton in the West Berkeley neighborhood, on several parcels acquired by local community leaders dedicated to providing a safe haven for stray, abandoned, and abused animals. Over the past 90 years, the facility has expanded sporadically to meet the changing needs of animal rescue, including a major remodel around 1950 that significantly enhanced the veterinary program. Unfortunately, a devastating fire in 2010 destroyed a large part of the facility and rendered its second floor inaccessible.

“The new building will be named the Bay Area Animal Resource Center (BAARC), which will include a veterinary medical hospital and adoption center,” said Dan Lang, President of the Berkeley Humane Board of Directors. “The new vision for the organization will include more services for people with pets who might be in need of a little extra support. We are eager to receive all necessary approvals to demolish our outdated facility and begin construction in 2025.”

The new one-story building will be constructed on the same footprint as the existing structure, featuring a significantly enlarged space for cat adoptions, including several “catios” that will provide felines with natural light and fresh air. Additionally, a small entry courtyard will lead to a secondary structure designed for comfortable and spacious dog housing.

“We estimate a two-year construction timeline, which is reasonable for a project of this nature, but it will impact our programs,” noted Jeffrey Zerwekh, Berkeley Humane’s Executive Director. “Our top priority is to relocate our medical program to a temporary facility, as low-cost veterinary care is vital for many pet families right now. We are still exploring how best to continue animal rescue and adoptions with our volunteers, staff, and shelter partners. We are going to have to get creative and align available resources in the best way possible.”

Berkeley Humane’s award-winning dog training program, Train the Bay, and the community Pet Food Pantry program are held in an adjoining facility and are not expected to experience any disruption during construction.

The public phase of the capital campaign will be launched in early 2025 which means now is a terrific opportunity for individuals and families to engage in making legacy gifts and to take advantage of naming opportunities. Berkeley Humane is a private non-profit organization that does not receive government funding, so community support is essential to make the dream of BAARC a reality.

Jeffrey Zerwekh, Executive Director
Berkeley Humane
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