Maricopa County breaks ground on new Glendale animal shelter to serve growing West Valley

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is working to expand into the West Valley with a new shelter facility.

Construction has begun on a new 94,000-square-foot animal care and control facility in Glendale. The West Valley location plans to house 600 kennels and will open in May 2028.

Vice Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Debbie Lesko said the new facility will support the West Valley’s growing population.

“The West Valley is booming. There's tons of jobs coming up over here, but also a lot of families moving here," Lesko said. "So this is a logical place to build a new animal shelter because people love their pets, and I would love for them to adopt them here from Maricopa County.”

Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Director Debbie McKnight said the new facility will help protect vulnerable animals.

“Great, nice big kennel. So we have proper housing for all the dogs. We have enough play yards. We're putting in a low stimulation housing area for our shy and fearful dogs,” McKnight said.

McKnight said the facility will also feature a special maternity ward for dogs that come in with a litter.

This shelter is part of a larger project by Maricopa County to invest more resources in the West Valley.