County breaks ground on new Animal Care Center in Bloomington

*County leaders and federal, state, and community partners broke ground on the new Animal Care Center in Bloomington.*

San Bernardino County officials, community leaders and partners gathered to celebrate the official groundbreaking of the county’s new Animal Care Center in Bloomington — a project that will significantly expand animal welfare services across the region.

The future 56,000-square-foot shelter and care facility will feature on-site veterinary services, dedicated dog and cat enrichment areas, and spacious, modern kennels designed to create a more comfortable environment for animals as they await adoption.

“This is a tremendous milestone for San Bernardino County,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chair and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. “Today, we took a major step toward delivering a much-needed, modern animal care facility for our residents and for the animals who deserve compassionate care. This center represents our commitment to providing better outcomes for the pets who enter our care and for the families looking to welcome them into their homes. I want to sincerely thank Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, Rep. Pete Aguilar, the Board of Supervisors, and our hardworking county staff for making today possible.”

Baca emphasized the need for expanded animal care services throughout the East Valley and highlighted the $4.5 million in state funding secured by Gómez Reyes to help make the project a reality.

The Animal Care Center project follows growing demand for expanded services, with the county’s Devore Animal Shelter taking in over 7,700 dogs and cats in 2024.

“We have simply outgrown our current facilities,” said county Chief Executive Officer Luther Snoke. “With this new Animal Care Center, we will increase our capacity and better meet the needs of both animals and the community.”

Snoke announced that the new shelter will include a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic, nearly double the county’s current animal housing capacity, and enable more comprehensive care directly on-site. The new center will also complement the county’s mobile animal care unit, which provides licensing, vaccination, and microchipping services to unincorporated areas and deploys to provide critical services to communities in need during emergencies and natural disasters.

Joshua Dugas, director of the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, which oversees Animal Care, emphasized the broader impact of the project.

“Our goal has always been to create a safer, more supportive environment for animals and the people who care about them,” said Dugas. “The new Animal Care Center will give us the tools to enhance the level of care we provide, expand services for residents, and build even stronger partnerships with our community. This groundbreaking represents a new chapter in our commitment to animal welfare across San Bernardino County.”

Construction on the $65 million Animal Care Center is underway and expected to finish by spring 2027.

For information about pets available for adoption at the county’s Big Bear and Devore shelters, visit animalcare.sbcounty.gov/pets or call 800-472-5609. To make a donation to support shelter animals, please visit www.arffund.org.

Additional County Update News – May 1, 2025