ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Orange County leaders are finalizing plans to build a new animal services building for the first time in nearly 40 years.
During a meeting on Tuesday, commissioners unanimously agreed to award a $49 million contract to the company selected to design and build the facility.
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“It is expected to be the largest animal shelter in Florida at 123,000 square feet, and with housing for approximately 265 dogs and 200 cats,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said Tuesday after the vote. “That sounds like a lot of four-legged animals to me.”
College Design and Construction group won the contract with the lowest bid, and the new shelter is expected to open by the end of 2027.
According to the county, the current shelter was considered state-of-the-art when it opened in 1987 but has been showing signs of its age in recent years.
Over the past decade, there have been several renovation projects aimed at improving the comfort of the shelter pets, but officials say they are struggling to keep the facility going, especially in the summer.
News 6’s Trooper Steve Montiero, who regularly features OCAS dogs on his “Trooper Steve on Patrol” segments, spoke at the commission meeting and said officials don’t want this space; they need it.
"If we wait, more AC units will fail and the facility will continue to decay," Montiero said. “Every day of delay is not just time lost, it’s comfort and care lost for those who can’t speak for themselves and that’s why this facility matters. State-of-the-art is a building that they need.”
The new building is designed to provide a less stressful environment for the pets, as well as spaces to help with the adoption process.
According to officials, Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) accepted nearly 15,000 animals in fiscal year 2024 and secured live release placement for 91% of the dogs, as well as 88% of the cats.
Montiero also said that News 6’s collaboration with OCAS has a 100% adoption or rescue rate for every animal featured on “Trooper Steve on Patrol.”
“Modernizing the facility means safer spaces, healthy environments, and more opportunities for successful adoptions. It means giving back to the staff the tools that they need to do their job with dignity and efficiency. It means showing the community that Orange County leads with compassion, not compromise,” Montiero told the commission.
OCAS is the only open-admission pet shelter in Orange County, which means no stray domestic animal in need is turned away, regardless of any behavior or medical challenges.
“This facility will be a symbol of the values we hold as a community. We are investing in a future where animals, staff and residents will thrive, and I believe we should be proud of this step forward,” Demings said.
The new animal shelter will be built on the same plot of land as the current facility off Conroy Road near the Mall at Millenia.