Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Following up on a campaign promise Mayor Sean Ryan nearly 18 months ago, the City of Buffalo will be getting a new animal shelter, replacing its aging and obsolete Oak Street facility.
Ryan says Buffalo will be renovating - and expanding - the former and vacant Buffalo Police Station No. 7 at 294 Louisiana Street into the city's new animal shelter.
The ambitious $30 million-plus project is expected to be completed by late 2028, according to Deputy Mayor Ben Swanekamp.
"Our current shelter has way too many animals and way too little space," Ryan said.
The animal shelter's conditions have long been a talking point of concern among advocates including area veterinarians, representatives from the SPCA and canine and cat volunteer groups.
"It is woeful inadequate," said Barbara Carr, former Erie County SPCA executive director and co-chair of Ryan's Animal Shelter Advisory Committee "Past administrations put Band-Aids on the shelter but Band-Aids are no longer enough."
Swnaekamp the project will be funded through the city's capital projects budget and subject to Buffalo Common Council approval.
Some fundraising efforts may also help finance the project.
In the short term, $415,000 will allocated towards the current Oak Street shelter for emergency repairs and upgrades.
Ryan said he wants the project fast tracked.
"We don't need anymore Band-Aids," Ryan said. "We need to fix this."
The current Oak Street shelter has 7,500-square-feet, roughly the same size as the vacant police station.
The expanded Louisiana Street building may be enlarged to 30,000-square-feet, according to preliminary designs.
The current shelter is home to 70 dogs and 46 cats - well above its capacity.
When expanded, the new shelter will be able to house 100 dogs biut have the capacity and square footage to add more kennels, if neeeded.
Located next to Father Conway Park and the Buffalo Police K-9 training field, Ryan said the new location will allow for more outdoor play areas for the dogs,
Ryan says the Louisiana Street property emerged as the strongest option because of its existing building layout, ample space for expansion, outdoor space, and convenient access to downtown Buffalo and the Thruway.
The site has enough space to allow for construction of a new shelter nearly five times the size of the City’s current shelter. “Buffalo’s animals, the people who care for them, and the residents who come to adopt them deserve a modern facility built to suit their needs,” says Ryan. “This is a job that needs to be done right the first time, and we worked hard to identify the right location before moving forward. At the same time, we’re improving conditions at the current shelter while plans are made for a permanent home that can better serve our community for decades to come.”
Fillmore District Councilman Mitch Nowakowski said he is glad a decision has been made concerning the fate of the animal shelter has been a personal issue as well as a professional one.
"What I saw (at the current shelter) was unacceptable," Nowakowski said. "We have to take care of Buffalo residents whether they have two legs or four legs."
Once the new shelter opens, Buffalo will likely sell the current Oak Street building.
Former BPD precinct chosen as new location
Former BPD precinct chosen as new location
