Construction is officially underway on Marion County’s new animal shelter.
On Thursday, October 30, Marion County and Ocala officials were joined by several hundred guests for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new animal shelter. Located on a 20-acre parcel north of the Ocala International Airport, near SW 60th Avenue and State Road 40, the new facility will replace the county’s outdated animal shelter at 5701 SE 66th Street in Ocala.
When complete, county officials say the new animal shelter will provide a “modern and humane environment for animals in need,” including ample space for kennels, adoption areas, and veterinary care. Specifically, the new 37,361-square-foot facility will feature larger kennels (64 square feet), numerous play areas (24), and a greatly expanded surgical suite (2,107 square feet).
According to Animal Services, the growing demand for services and limitations of its aging facility made renovating the current shelter “impractical.” As a result, the county began researching a new location for the shelter in 2021.
After evaluating multiple properties that were already owned by the county, including Coehadjoe Park, Animal Services determined that none of the sites could support the demands of a modern shelter with room for future expansion…