Arizona Humane Society opens state-of-the-art campus

Arizona Humane Society's Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus (Image courtesy of Arizona Humane Society)

Arizona Humane Society (AHS) announced that its Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus is now officially open. The new $51 million state-of-the-art facility was built from funds provided completely by donations from animal lovers and friends of AHS.

“As the doors of the Rob and Melani Walton Papago Park Campus open to the public, so do the possibilities for the future of animal welfare in Arizona and across the country,” said Steven Hansen, DVM, president and chief executive officer of AHS, in an organizational release.¹

“This transformative campus will have an undeniable positive impact on the Valley’s most vulnerable pets and the state’s future veterinarians for decades to come. Our new campus enables us with the physical resources to best serve the pets in our care and delivers a key list of improvements that will benefit pets and people alike,” he continued.

According to the release,¹ the facility was built to maintain the health and welfare of the animals who enter the facility as well as the people taking care of them. The facility contains features such as a heavy-duty HVAC system to reduce airborne pathogen movement between separate kennel rooms, improved sanitation from drainage systems located in 90% of rooms on the campus, and hundreds of windows to increase the amount of natural light in the rooms and kennels, 5 'catios', and 13 designated play yards.

Those coming to the facility to adopt a pet will greet their new pet in the Nina Mason Pulliam P.E.T. Center. Adopters will have access to AHS’s in-house pet supply shop Petique and Echo Coffee, a locally owned and operated business that contributes 1% of every purchase to AHS.¹

The 5-acre campus is home to the largest shelter-based trauma and acute medical center for homeless pets in the United States, the Watts Family Medical Complex. The complex also serves as a teaching hospital to help veterinary students get the experience they need while also alleviating some of the effects of the veterinarian shortages.

Out of the pets entering the doors of AHS, 4 out of 5 need care in the Lazin Animal Foundation Trauma Hospital, designed to provide the community the chance to catch a glimpse of the work done by the professionals at AHS.¹ Visitors can take a self-guided tour, and sign up with a tour guide that will show them the BISSELL Pet Foundation Spay and Neuter Clinic, where pets are prepared for surgery to help fight overpopulation.²

Ryan Companies US, Inc. and AHS officially broke ground 7 years ago in November 2021 to build “the animal welfare campus of the future.” AHS also commissioned artist Ula Nero to create portraits found throughout the campus and the designated architectural partner was Animal Arts.

“At Ryan, one of our core values is stewardship, meaning we are dedicated to spending our time and financial resources on behalf of causes and organizations that directly help our community,” said Chuck Carefoot, southwest region president of Ryan Companies.¹ “Pets are near and dear to our hearts, positively impact our individual well-being, and our overall public health. We are thrilled to have completed the Arizona Humane Society’s Rob and Melani Walton Papago Park Campus at a substantial savings to the organization and for the benefit of our entire community.”

References

1. Arizona Humane Society’s Rob & Melani Walton Papago Park Campus now open. News release. Arizona Humane Society. March 26, 2024. Accessed March 26, 2024.
2. Spay & Neuter. BISSELL Pet Foundation. Accessed March 26, 2024. https://www.bissellpetfoundation.org/programs/spay-and-neuter/