Animal Shelter development to kickoff next week, opening now eyed for 2026
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- City leaders provided an update on the progress of a new animal shelter on South Belt Highway during Thursday's budget work session.
Officials with the St. Joseph Health Department confirmed that internal demolition work is slated to begin next week. Construction crews with E.L. Crawford Construction are expected to ramp up exterior construction in July on the $5 million facility.
The tentative completion date for the shelter is now being eyed for 2026.
"Hopefully by this time next year or maybe just like mid-summer, we might be completed with the project and moving into a new animal shelter," Assistant Health Director Kendra Bundy said.
The new shelter is designed with an additional 5,000 square feet of space, moving from the current 8,000-square-foot facility at 701 S.W. Lower Lake Road to an area by the St. Joseph Recycling Center at 3405 S. Belt Highway.
The proposed shelter is being designed with a vet clinic as part of the concept as well, a smaller suite capable of providing surgeries and other services carried out by shelter staff.
"I don't know if it's going to open as soon as the shelter will be. We're still looking at what we needed for that," Health Department Director Debra Bradley said during the meeting. "The Friends of the Animal Shelter has been instrumental in helping us with that."
