Santa Barbara Humane officially started the first phase of its Goleta facility redesign in a groundbreaking on August 13. The new project aims to update the facility to better serve the community’s animals.
With 80 percent of the $18 million funding goal already raised, Phase One of the redesign has secured the necessary capital to begin construction. The construction has been split into phases to ensure the facility can remain open during the construction, said Marissa Miller, who is a public relations specialist for Santa Barbara Humane.
Phase One, which is expected to take 16-20 months, will include a new intake building, a dog behavior center, a mobile veterinary clinic, and an upgraded dog yard.
Phase Two, scheduled to begin in the winter of 2026, adds a larger medical center that will collaborate with local veterinarians and provide free care for both law enforcement and search and rescue canines. The 22 months of construction also brings new adoption centers for dogs, cats, and rabbits, as well as an adoption reception building, an education/dog training center, and an administration building.
Speaking to a crowd of mimosa-enjoying philanthropists, donors, board members, and local politicians, Santa Barbara Humane CEO Kerri Burns emphasized that the organization is built “by the community and for the community” and that the help of donors will make this project a reality.
The board of directors has committed $10 million toward the project, but the remaining costs must be raised through philanthropy. While Santa Barbara Humane reported $49,310,654 in net assets in 2024, a reflection of donor generosity through the decades, said Miller, about $22 million are restricted funds for other specified uses. The remainder forms an endowment, Miller explained, that supports S.B. Humane’s work annually.
Burns went on to say that the new facility’s design focuses on the animals’ perspective, from the ground up. To prioritize the animals’ experience, the new facility will feature pet-safe plants to provide sensory enrichment, along with non-slip flooring to ensure their safety, said Miller.
County Supervisor Laura Capps attended the event and thanked the Santa Barbara Humane Society for its work with both animals and people, highlighting the positive impact pets have on mental health.
Editor’s Note: This story’s headline was inadvertently duplicated in the subtitle. The story has bee updated to include the correct subtitle, “$18 Million Project Upgrades Yards, Adds Veterinary and Adoption Spaces.”
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