Dothan, Ala. (WDNews)
– After nearly a year of construction, the Wiregrass Pet Rescue and Adoption Center is preparing to open its doors this September.
The facility, years in the making, is expected to transform animal welfare services across Houston County and the Wiregrass region.
Rachel Smith, Executive Director of the nonprofit, said the project has been in development since 2019, when board president Bryan Applefield and vice president Beth Kenward founded the organization in response to overcrowding and outdated conditions at the current Dothan Animal Shelter.
“This project has been a long time in the making,” Smith said. “The current shelter just couldn’t meet the needs of the community anymore.
Overpopulation remains a major challenge for shelters in the Southeast, according to Smith. The new facility is designed to alleviate the strain by combining on-site care with expanded foster and rescue partnerships. Although the center doesn’t have a strict capacity number, it will include 20 jumbo dog kennels—designed for co-housing to reduce animal stress—and seven free-roaming community cat rooms.
Smith emphasized that capacity will be flexible.
“The goal is to have at least 50% of our intake animals in foster homes at any given time,” she said.
The new shelter will offer nearly full public access, including open cat rooms where visitors can spend time with animals freely.
“You can literally sit on the floor with them and they’ll jump right in your lap,” Smith said.
Only a few rules apply, such as not removing animals from kennels without staff assistance. Still, the shelter is aiming to create a welcoming, interactive environment for adopters.
The center is also launching a comprehensive volunteer program. Adults can contribute as little as one hour per month and choose how they’d like to help. From walking dogs to assisting with adoption events or administrative tasks, Smith says there is something for everyone.
After opening, the center plans to introduce youth volunteer programs, including junior and children’s groups with guardian supervision.
In addition to adoption services, the facility will host educational events, foster training, and even birthday parties for all ages.
“You can absolutely have your birthday party here,” said Smith.
Community members can also look forward to monthly events like puppy and kitten yoga.
“We want this to be a warm, inclusive space,” Smith said. “A place where the community feels welcome.”
To help reduce pet surrenders, the center will offer a community pantry with pet food and basic supplies such as leashes, bowls, and kennels. The goal, Smith explained, is to keep pets in homes whenever possible.
“If we can help with resources to do that, we want to be there for the community,” she said.
Although the shelter won’t house a public spay-neuter clinic, plans are in place to eventually hire a full-time veterinarian and vet staff to handle in-house procedures for shelter animals. Smith said this is part of the center’s five-year vision to enhance animal care and reduce reliance on external services.
“We’re not there yet,” she said, “but the goal is to build that into our operations as we grow.”
For now, the center continues working closely with local partners like the Southeast Alabama Spay & Neuter Alliance, which has already altered thousands of animals in the region since opening.
The Wiregrass Pet Rescue and Adoption Center is expected to open to the public in September 2025.
