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Dogs Marley (left) and Quinn break ground at the new Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center in San Francisco. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco SPCA
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Dogs, cats and the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) celebrated the groundbreaking of its new Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center on Oct. 4, 2007. Upon completion, the 60,000-square-foot facility will have the largest medical area of any veterinary hospital in North America.
The estimated $29.9 million dollar center will be environmentally friendly and utilize an energy-efficient heating system and insulation, as well as refrigerators and freezers. And for every tree that is used to create the facility, another tree will be planted.
Other features of the new facility include 17 consulting and examination rooms, an in-room computer system, two modern surgery rooms, a main treatment complex, an intensive care ward, a surgery room suite for spay and neuter operations that will double the surgical capacity of the spay and neuter clinic, multiple isolation and quarantine wards, and up-to-date ultrasound equipment.
“The San Francisco SPCA is very excited about the launch of this new enterprise,” said San Francisco SPCA President Jan McHugh-Smith. “We are mindful that the center is a tribute to the memory of Mrs. Roberts and her lifelong devotion to the welfare of animals. Her generosity and vision, and that of the Roberts family, is truly inspiring.”
The facility, named after a longtime member of the San Francisco SPCA Board of Directors, will largely be funded by a $13 million gift from Roberts. A capital campaign has been launched to help raise additional money needed to complete construction.
The multi-million dollar center is expected to be finished by early 2009.