The prestigious and progressive Gensler firm here in Houston were the principal architects on this project. The architects were not just brilliant architects but animal lovers with a real heart for this project. Prior to and during construction, we consulted with LEED experts and nationally renowned shelter design experts including the incredible team at Animal Arts in Boulder, Colorado, an architecture firm that exclusively designs animal care facilities. They are responsible for some of the most beautiful, forward-thinking and environmentally friendly shelters in the United States.
Care has been taken with every detail of the building. We are bringing in 100% outside fresh air and turning over the air in each space completely 15 times an hour. We have made certain that sunlight reaches every animal (and staff) workspace and even engaged a professional acoustician from the beginning to ensure that we manage the sound for everyone's comfort.
Our shelter features a state of the art in wall wet vac cleaning system that makes the dirty and smelly drain/hose system used by every other shelter in town obsolete. Those systems simply aerosolize fecal matter, use a ton of water and the drains are not just dirty but a true health and safety hazard. Like so much of the FFL program, we are leading the way for shelters to become what they should be by incorporating forward-thinking design and practice. This cleaning system enables us to maintain a cleaner and safer shelter than the old drain/hose systems. The FFL system is also energy and water efficient and uses a cleaning solution that is 100% safe for the animals but deadly for bacteria and viruses.
Our goal was to create a space that is truly animal-friendly from the animals' point of view. Their sense of smell and hearing are much more acute than ours. They are generally stressed just to be in a shelter environment to begin with. The fact that we know them at all means something has already gone wrong in their lives. It is our task, in part, to provide as stress-free, healthy and interesting an environment as possible. The Don Sanders Adoption Center is adopter/visitor friendly and follows the highest standards of shelter management."This was taken directly from their website, amazing, be sure to check out the photos. www.adoptfriends4life.org
It's amazing what good design can do. Most of the time we think about how design relates to and affects our lives. But animals' lives are just as important. They think, feel, smell, hear and breathe just like we do. So why shouldn't they live somewhere where someone has taken the time to research their needs and give
them a comfortable, happy place to live? (hopefully temporarily)
As a designer and animal lover, I am only too happy to share this amazing place with you. The Don Sanders Adoption Center is leading the way for safer, healthier and happier pet adoptions. Not to mention for the employees and visitors.
Give a shelter animal a forever home!
