ASPCA's redesigned shelter puts both pets and people at ease.

01/1/07
BY MELISSA RAYWORTH
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Like many of their neighbors on New York City's affluent Upper East Side, the residents of 424 E. 92nd St. live well. They spend their days amid spotless tile floors and shimmering white walls accented with colorful glass. Classical music lulls them to sleep for afternoon naps, and a well-trained staff caters to their every need.

It's hardly the life you'd envision for a dog or cat in a shelter. But at the headquarters of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, it's now the norm.

In September, the ASPCA completed a thorough remodeling of its housing area for pets awaiting adoption. The design is cutting-edge, with many animals housed in "group habitats" meant to enhance their comfort and emotional health. No depressing rows of metal cages here. No din from barking dogs or wailing cats.

This cageless, sensitive redesign isn't the first of its kind and likely won't be the last. In recent years, shelters in San Francisco, Washington and Canada have taken similar approaches. They aim to increase the chance of adoption by creating an appealing experience for potential pet owners.

"Shelters traditionally have been in remote locations, often horrible places you wouldn't go to on the wrong side of the tracks. It's anxiety-producing," says Edwin Sayres, president of the ASPCA. "We have to get past that 'I can't go there' idea people have about depressing, noisy, smelly shelters where people are adopting out of pity."

Rather than peering through bars, this ASPCA's pets live behind large glass doors outfitted with holes that let them sniff passers-by. Ceilings are covered with sound-absorbing material, and the air is exchanged eight to 12 times per hour, minimizing noise, odors and the spread of germs.

The largest housing area for cats almost has the feel of a college dorm: "Shelter residents" romp on pillows or busy themselves with toys, while others rest on soft beds. Each pet's personality and preferences have been assessed by an animal behaviorist: "Loves to be cuddled," says a sign referring to one dog. Others sport labels like "Busy bee" or "Goofball."

Because the animals are calmer and happier at the ASPCA's new facility, they're more likely to exhibit their true personalities. And their happiness, coupled with the absence of loud barking and foul odors, is thought to help maintain their health.

"For dogs especially, smell is their dominant sense, then hearing. So if you and I think it's smelly and noisy in traditional shelters, imagine how they feel," Sayres says. "It's incredibly stressful for them."

The cageless design is definitely more inviting, but it could have downsides. Animal behaviorist Colleen Paige, who is impressed by the approach, does worry about pets that get along well with people but not with other pets. She says they wouldn't be displayed in the group settings and could get overlooked by potential owners.

"I love that they're thinking outside the box in doing this," she says. "I just hope it doesn't rule out people going and looking at the other dogs who are in the kennels. You don't want this to sprout into, "Oh, we only want to get dogs from the open room.' "

There also is the risk that imitators will cut corners. Pets at the ASPCA are analyzed by behaviorists to ensure they can live together safely, and they're thoroughly examined to avoid spreading germs. Animals that don't make the cut are put in individual spaces.

"I assume other shelters will follow the ASPCA in this, and I hope they do it as well and as carefully," Paige says. Lacking money and manpower, "a lot of shelters are just happy to get their dogs adopted."

But at some pet-related charities, money and manpower have been more available recently. The ASPCA's
$5 million redesign was privately funded. A list of donors posted at the center contains names of regular New Yorkers and high-profile ones, such as Yoko Ono.

For those and other pet lovers across the country, the affinity for animals now extends to a strong focus on the emotional needs of dogs and cats, perhaps making facilities like the ASPCA's inevitable.

"If you went back 100 years, the first thing that comes into your mind if someone says "animal' is "horse, cow, food, work,' " says Bernard Rollin, a professor of philosophy at Colorado State University who has written extensively on animal rights. "Today, people think "dog, cat.' They see their animals as members of the family."