TEMPLE, Texas — Renovations at the Temple Animal Shelter have finally finished, enabling the shelter to have more functional space for animals and visitors.
And now that the upgrades are complete, the city has dropped the old name and rebranded the shelter to Heart to Home Animal Adoption Center.
The city said the $5 million renovation project broke ground in Fall 2022, adding 40 dog kennels and 21 cat cages—bringing the total capacity to 72 dogs and 65 cats.
The new kennels are climatized to create more comfortable spaces for animals in the shelter's care, the city said. New outdoor spaces and play areas have also been added—including a dog patio and cat playpen.
“The expansion will help accommodate the increase of animals brought to the shelter as Temple continues to grow,” Temple Mayor Tim Davis said. “These additional spaces are also beneficial for the animals, and they provide the opportunity for them to go outside more frequently with room to run and play.”
Visitors can also enjoy the renovations by having an easier experience in the shelter's open concept lobby, the city said.
Four meet-and-greet areas for visitors to interact with the animals have also been added—three outdoors and one indoor.
"We are so excited for the community to see and experience our new facility,” Animal Shelter Supervisor Amy Strunk said. “This project has helped us achieve our goal of properly caring for animals as we help them find their forever home.”
A grand reopening ceremony is scheduled for January 10th at 4 p.m.
For more information, visit the Heart to Home Animal Adoption Center's webpage here.
