Visiting an animal shelter can be a disturbing experience, with the aisles of abandoned dogs and cats peering from cages. But the new Pet Adoption and Resource Center in Auburn is uplifting for animals and humans, said Leilani Veirra, the chief executive officer of the Placer Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which runs the Auburn center.
“When you walk into the adoption center, you can’t help but smile”, Vierra said. “You can see all the antics of the animals as they’re playing, and they’re comfortable. You leave feeling good, not upset or depressed”.
Sierra View in Granite Bay helped create that environment by donating its contractor’s fees and pre-construction services for the 2,775-square-foot project at 1482 Grass Valley Highway in the Creekside Center. The donation was worth about $23,000.
Mark Davis, president of Sierra View and a member of the Placer SPCA board of directors, said his business also worked with subcontractors who donated time and materials to build the new center.
The $171,000 center is modern and cage-free, Veirra said, housing up to 30 cats and six dogs in spacious adoption rooms. The center also has an education room and dog exercise and training area, and a “get acquainted” room for interacting with animals before adoption.
Davis said the center has “spaces that offer the animals more room to play and explore than traditional kennels”.
The adoption center, built inside an existing structure, got new metal studs and drywall partitions separating the rooms, with viewing windows that allow visitors to look at animals. Another important feature is a ventilation system that keeps pet odors to a minimum, Davis said.
Vierra said the community pitched in to help build and outfit the center, which serves the county’s foothills area. Ed Mojica, owner of Mas Mojica Architecture Studio in Roseville, donated time spent on design work and draft submissions to the county, and the Harry Rosenberry Foundation made a significant contribution to the adoption center. Hewlett Packard Co. Hewlett Packard Co.(NYSE:HPQ) and Renesas Electronics in Roseville donated some office furniture.
“And everything from the washer and dryer to the telephones were donated by individuals”, she said.
The Placer SPCA was founded in 1973 by a group of Auburn-based volunteers caring for abandoned animals in their homes. In 1995, the organization moved into its current location at 150 Corporation Yard Road in Roseville.
Vierra said the group is working on plans to buy land and build a larger center in Roseville to serve the South Placer County area.
“We set a standard for animal care with the new Auburn center”, she said. “Sierra View and other businesses and individuals helped us create a wonderful environment for animals and people”.
For more information on the center, go to www.placerspca.org/auburn.