Margaret J Maclean Animal Welfare Center
More photos of the construction are available on the Animal Foundation Facebook page.
The Margaret J. Maclean Animal Welfare Center is under construction, and November 15, 2011, it began rising above ground level with structural steel beginning to show the basic outlines of the building.
A life-saving, high adoption center, the new facility will provide temporary care in a pleasant, safe, and humane environment for animals in need. It will include:
- Public reception, viewing, and visiting areas with an appealing atmosphere to maximize adoptions
- A variety of housing options for animals
- Indoor training/exercise areas for dogs
- Communal space for cats
- Outdoor space for cats and outdoor kennels for dogs
- Grooming facilities - 90% of groomed animals are adopted
- Education areas to provide the public opportunites to learn about responsible pet ownership and animal welfare issues
- Memorial gardens to honor pets
Drawing courtesy of L'Heureux, Page Werner Architects, Great Falls, MT
Located on 25th Avenue NE across from North Middle School.
To learn more about some areas see the following:
Cat Areas
Dog Areas
Memorial Gardens
Educational Room
Cat Areas
Did you know that cats are now the most popular domestic pet in the United States? We estimate that there are over 24,000 cats/kittens living in Cascade County.
The Margaret J. Maclean Animal Shelter will provide a safe and secure environment for kittens and cats. There will be an isolation room with its own air exchange system (to prevent the spread of disease) for cats and kittens who enter the facility and are sick. Once the feline recovers, it will be moved to a second holding area to ensure that his or her recovery has been completed.
Healthy cats will be moved to the adoption area. The area will have its own air exchange system to keep the felines healthy and to eliminate odors. To relax the four-legged critters, music will soothe their nerves and make them happy, comfortable, and adoptable.
On nice days, cats can relax in the sun or shade in outdoor pens overlooking the trees and plants in the Memorial Garden.
The public will be able to view the kittens and cats through windows and, if one pulls at an adopter’s heartstrings, the animal and potential owner will be able to get to know each other in a separate visiting room. Adoption will be completed in an adoption room where the owner will receive information about the care of cats, spay & neuter requirements, and registration and micro-chipping options.
Dog Areas
Man’s best friend (over 20,000 in Cascade County) will find a clean and quiet environment in the new shelter. Dogs will be groomed to make them feel good and help their chances of adoption. Studies show that 90% of groomed dogs are adopted. No more trying to imagine what that dingy little tan cockapoo would look like if he had a bath and a cut. “What!? He’s white… not tan!”
After grooming, our friends will be held in comfortable areas with another dog or two. They will have an indoor exercise area for a good workout with a volunteer and a potential adopter can see if Fido can catch a Frisbee or chase a ball. There is also space for basic training – how to sit, stay, and behave!
Educational Room
A new building is not the complete solution to improving animal welfare in Great Falls. Education is the cornerstone of improving life for pets and people. Having space available for educational activities is just one of the many ways the building is designed to be a community center for animal welfare activities rather than simply a building to house homeless animals.
The educational opportunities are endless. They could include trips to a nearby ranch, creating animal art, discovering how to keep our pets healthy, learning about therapy dogs, or receiving a visit from the K-9 police dog. We are planning for programs such as “kids for critters” camp. This will be action packed with crafts, games, stories, music and community-building activities that show us how to share the planet with all living creatures.
Memorial Gardens
Great Falls' first public pet memorial garden will be a beautiful place to remember beloved animal companions.
The Sheilagh R. Malo Pet Memorial Garden in Denver includes pathways paved with memorial bricks, much like what we have planned for our memorial garden. There will be naming opportunities within the garden for trees and benches, creating lasting tributes to people or pets.
Losing a loved family pet is difficult for many owners. Compounding the loss is the fact that there is no place in Great Falls to honor and remember pets.
Local garden enthusiasts have designated a serene and respectful setting that is a peaceful expression of the bond between animals and humans. The gardens will follow the gentle slope of terrain next to the center. Columbaria, where owners can place the ashes of their pets, are built into the slope of the hill, creating retaining walls. A stepped path will look down onto a grassy area backed by arbors covered in flowering vines. The path will wind through smaller garden plots, and by the memorial wall and columbaria, creating a lovely, comforting space to honor pets.
Click here to download a printable PDF of the center's Site Plan shown below left.
Click here to download a printable PDF of the Center Floor Plan, shown below.
