After five years of construction, Prince William County residents will get to tour their new animal shelter.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors and the Prince William County Police Department will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the building’s grand opening. The center, called the new Animal Services Center, sits at 14807 Bristow Road near Manassas.
The ribbon cutting will take place on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at 11 a.m. with guest speakers and informational tables featuring our community groups and partners, including the Prince William SPCA and Prince William Humane Society, who were instrumental in supporting and advocating for the new center.
Tours of the new facility will take place all weekend and will also feature free animal adoptions.
The center will have special opening day hours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday (the last tour begins at 4 p.m.) and normal operating hours Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Residents headed to the event should park nearby Prince William County Public Schools Edward L. Kelly Leadership Center, 14715 Bristow Road, and then catch a free shuttle service to the shelter.
The new $17 million Animal Services Center replaces the previous 45-year-old shelter, which initially opened in 1975. The old shelter was riddled with issues and posed ongoing concerns regarding adequate housing space for animals, medical care limitations, and the necessary storage for materials needed for the care of animals.
In 2017, the Board of County Supervisors approved the construction of the new facility as a priority to meet the needs of the growing county.
“As Prince William County continues to welcome more residents, community services like the Animal Services Center will provide the necessary support for all types of animals,” said Ann Wheeler, Chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, in a press release. “The board recognized the value of providing an upgraded facility to ensure the well-being and health of animals that come through the Center’s doors and grounds.”
The Animal Services Center is a more than 27,000 square foot facility featuring a two-stall, medical-grade barn on the complex grounds, four outdoor play yards for dogs, multiple smaller outdoor play areas, a community cat room, individually ventilated cat condos, and separate housing areas for all species ranging from dogs and cats to livestock and our small, furry, feathered, and scaley animals.
The new center features an upgraded HVAC system to reduce airborne diseases and a veterinarian suite on site capable of surgeries and advanced medical care for animals.
“We are excited to finally open this new, much-needed facility here in Prince William County dedicated to the care of all animals,” said Peter Newsham, Chief of the Prince William County Police Department, in a press release. “It is clear the county saw a great necessity to update this facility to meet our growing needs, and we were very appreciative of the support from the Board of County Supervisors in its funding. This new center will serve the residents of Prince William County for many years to come.”
In 2021, the Animal Services Center processed more than 2,000 adoptions and boasted a 91% save rate with over 150 animal transfers to area rescues and wildlife facilities. Approximately 150 volunteers working more than 18,000 hours added to the center’s success resulting in 528 animal fosters and 531 lost animal reunifications with their families last year.
“The opening of the Animal Services Center presents a leap forward in the level of care that Prince William County can offer for its animal residents in need and represents our county’s commitment to creating a more humane community,” said Anthony Cleveland, Division Chief of the Prince William County Police Department Animal Control Bureau in a press release. “Our staff is grateful to see this project come to fruition. Thank you to the Prince William County residents and the Board of County Supervisors for their support of this project and the future of animal care in our community.”
The new shelter partially opened in November 2021. As construction progressed on the new Animal Services Center, the former animal shelter was demolished in January 2022.
The staff at the shelter is interested in speaking with those who would like to volunteer and those who wish to foster animals.
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