Dogs launch The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center at The San Francisco SPCA

Two former shelter dogs, Marley (black lab/Dane mix) and Quinn (yellow lab/retriever mix) turned the first symbolic pawful of earth at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center on October 4. Cheered on by over 200 guests, including the entire staff of The SF/SPCA, the two dogs, outfitted in construction vests, enthusiastically went to work, showering dignitaries with excavated dirt!

The dogs were the highlight of a moving ceremony honoring the late Mrs. Leanne Roberts, after whom the Animal Care Center is named. Speakers Jan McHugh-Smith, President of The SF/SPCA, California Assemblyman Mark Leno, Catherine B. Brown, Chair of The SF/SPCA Board of Directors, Eric B. Roberts, Mrs. Roberts' son and an SF/SPCA Board Member, and Dr. Jack Aldridge, Director of Veterinary Services at The SF/SPCA, paid tribute to Mrs. Roberts' love of animals, and her vision and generosity.

After a champagne toast to the future success of the new Animal Care Center, and a blessing by Franciscan Father Jorge Hernandez from St. Boniface Church – it was the Feast of St Francis, the patron saint of animals and San Francisco – guests surveyed the spacious, echoing site while munching on light refreshments, including bone-shaped sugar cookies!

The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center will replace The SF/SPCA’s aging and inadequate Community Veterinary Hospital which was built in 1932. The Animal Care Center is being constructed in an existing building adjacent to Maddie’s Pet Adoption Center. The facility is designed by award-winning Rauhaus Freedenfeld & Associates, and the local architect is Korth Sunseri Architects. Construction management is by Van Acker Construction and the general contractor is Plant Construction Company. When completed in spring 2009, the $29.9 million, 60,000 square foot facility will be the second largest veterinary hospital in North America, and will be number one in the size of its medical area. It will also incorporate many "green" features:

Green Elements:

• The architects will reuse the external envelope of the building, which will create savings on materials and energy, and eliminate waste. The exterior walls will be insulated for energy efficiency.

• Energy-efficient glazing (glass) will be used on the front entrance of the building. The main entrance will feature a huge skylight at its center.

• Because of the animals, all of the air going into the facility will be fresh air from the outside and not re-circulated. The system uses a “heat recovery system” which, at night and on cool days, will route the heat the system gives off through a coil system and heat the incoming air, saving energy and energy costs.

• All the Mill-Work (woodwork) is a Certified Renewable Resource. For every tree that is used to create wood work in the facility, another tree is planted.

• All the refrigerators and freezers will be purchased new and will all meet the “Energy Star” rating, as will all of the overhead lighting in the facility.

Medical Elements:

• The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center will have 17 spacious consulting and examination rooms, in both the primary care hospital and shelter medicine department, with in-room computer systems for immediate, electronic patient record retrieval, display of radiographs and client continuing education.

• Two modern hospital surgery rooms with state-of-the-art surgical lighting will be adjacent to the main treatment complex and intensive care ward.

• An intensive care ward with telemetry for monitoring vital signs of critical patients and temperature regulated oxygen cases will help save lives.

• A double surgery room suite for Spay and Neuter will double the surgical capacity of the existing Spay/Neuter Clinic.

• Multiple isolation and quarantine wards for felines and canines will improve disease control and treatment.

• The facility will have up-graded, state-of-the-art ultrasound equipment.

• Direct digital radiology and dental radiology will replace film-based radiology, eliminating chemical film processing, enhancing worker safety and improving image quality.

• Two modern in-house laboratory rooms will accommodate diagnostic equipment to aid rapid diagnosis and treatment of shelter and hospital patients.

• The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center will provide a separate entrance and housing for the Feral Cat Assistance Program. There will also be the ability to utilize a surgery room, separate from the general population; currently, the Feral Cat Program shares space with the general public.

The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center will significantly expand the services that The SF/SPCA offers for companion animals in San Francisco. With its advanced, world-class capabilities it will enable The SF/SPCA to further develop the lifesaving work that has been its hallmark since 1868.

If you wish to contribute to The Leanne B. Roberts Animal Care Center please contact Katy Volz in the Development Department at kvolz@sfspca.org. Your donation will help save the lives of countless dogs and cats.