Dozens of animal lovers, including Sandoval County officials and U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, braved the cold Thursday morning to break ground on a long-awaited Animal Resource Center near Interstate 25 and Highway 550 in Bernalillo that will replace an overcrowded temporary shelter that has operated with just 21 kennels for years.
The new facility, valued at $8.7 million, is expected to open in early 2027 and will be able to house 50 to 60 dogs and 12 to 20 cats at a time, along with kennels, offices, play space and a dog park for Sandoval County residents and visitors.
“We are creating a brighter, more humane future for all,” Commissioner Katherine Bruch said at the ceremony.
County Manager Wayne Johnson said the project has been in the works for at least seven years and required years of searching along the I-25 corridor before settling on a 22-acre plot in Bernalillo.
The Sandoval County Commission unanimously approved a professional services agreement Jan. 28 with EPX New Mexico to construct the center for $8,739,996.21, including gross receipts tax. The project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and required piecing together funding from multiple sources, including federal, state and local contributions.
Stansbury, who said the shelter project was among the very first requests she received upon taking office in Congress, praised the all-woman construction crew set to build the facility and urged community members to help find homes for animals currently in the county’s care.
“Please help us find a home for these animals, because that is really what this project is all about,” Stansbury said.
Commission Chair Jordan Juarez, who noted Sandoval County is the fastest-growing county in New Mexico, said the facility represents progress not just for animals but for county staff who have long lacked adequate resources.
“This shows that we are progressing forward in a positive direction, and this is the direction that we need to continue to stay on,” Juarez said.
The new center will consist of two buildings — one housing animal services including exam rooms and offices, and a second holding 60 kennels — replacing a facility that began as a temporary shelter and has struggled to meet growing demand.
Johnson also recognized state Sen. Ben Ray Luján, state Reps. Matthew McQueen, Catherine Cullen and Kathleen Cates, and state Sen. Craig Brandt for their roles in securing funding for the project, as well as former community services director Anne Ryan and current director Jayme Espinoza.
Sandoval County Animal Care Services currently accepts volunteers, dog walkers and potential adopters. Residents interested in adopting or volunteering cancontact the shelter directly.