The Phoenix Zoo will break ground this week on a new veterinary medical center.
The 27,000-square-foot building will provide state-of-the-art medical facilities, advanced diagnostic equipment and clinical research space to support the health and wellbeing of the zoo’s animals.
It will be built along the zoo’s Outer Africa Trail. A press release from the zoo stated that the $25 million campaign to fund the project is nearing completion. Almost $24 million has already been raised through contributions from philanthropic foundations, corporations and individuals.
The building will feature indoor viewing windows and digital screens that will allow guests to observe veterinary procedures in real time. It will also have classrooms and collaborative workspaces to train the next generation of wildlife veterinarians.
Care at the new facility will be provided by the zoo’s veterinary team, along with fourth-year veterinary students from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Midwestern University, a private not-for-profit graduate university in Glendale specializing in the health sciences. The college has been a dedicated zoo partner since 2013. It graduates more than 100 new veterinarians each year and houses three community animal clinics on site.
“This facility will not only enhance our veterinary capabilities but also serve as a dynamic learning environment for the next generation of wildlife veterinarians," said Gary West, senior vice president of animal health and collection at the Phoenix Zoo. "Through our collaboration spanning more than a decade already with Midwestern University, veterinary students will continue to have the invaluable opportunity to train alongside our experienced veterinary team, gaining hands-on experience in zoological medicine while deepening their understanding of conservation and animal stewardship."
The center is expected to be completed in late 2026.
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