Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Shiny new animal shelter inches forward in Brooklyn
By
Liam Quigley
Published Mar 10, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Courtesy NYC Department of Design and Construction
By
Liam Quigley
Published Mar 10, 2025
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
City officials on Monday announced they’re moving forward with a new state-of-the-art animal shelter in Brooklyn that’s meant to serve as a “humane home” for parentless pets awaiting adoption.
The $48 million facility is being erected on Shepherd Avenue in East New York, and will include an outdoor dog run as well as a parking lot fitted with electric vehicle chargers.
The new space is designed to hold up to 300 animals, and replaces another animal shelter shuttered in Brooklyn last year, according to the city Department of Design and Construction. The construction of the new shelter comes as the city-run kennels face an overcrowding crisis.
Last year, the city’s shelters took in 5,463 dogs and 9,004 cats – up from 4,939 dogs and 8,608 cats in 2021, according to data from Animal Care Centers of NYC, the nonprofit that operates the shelters. Low adoption rates have contributed to serious overcrowding in the city’s shelters, and advocates have said the problem was made worse by a trend of New Yorkers abandoning pets they adopted during the pandemic.
Michelle Morse, the city’s acting health commissioner, called the groundbreaking “an important step toward our goal of providing full-service animal shelters in every borough.” The city opened a full-service animal shelter in Staten Island in 2022, and one in Queens last year.
Tagged
new york city
parks
brooklyn
Liam Quigley
Liam Quigley is a reporter covering parks & sanitation for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot and killed on Midtown subway platform Saturday afternoon, NYPD says
Police said they're searching for a person of interest.
By
Ryan Kost
and
Elizabeth Kim
Published Oct 17, 2026
Modified Oct 17, 2026 at 4:10 p.m. ET
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.
By
Catalina Gonella
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
By
Willow Higgins
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .