• To decrease the number of animals euthanized and increase the percentage and absolute number of animals “saved” (adopted, returned to owners, transferred to rescue foster homes).
• To improve and expand humane education in Dearborn, via class visits, tours and a public humane library within the center.
• To improve the building’s public access and ease of use, to extend the Center’s visibility, and to be another example of the Dearborn community’s commitment to excellence and leadership.
• To ensure the AEC uses its human and financial resources efficiently, to expand services by applying resources to productive purposes rather than to routine tasks imposed by an outmoded shelter and its expenses mandated by repairs due to the decaying facility.
• To create a true and positive community center for animals and people.

Summary of Design Work

Preliminary Work

The initial design work for the proposed new Shelter was conducted in 2001 when Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter (the Friends) began the process of realizing a long-held dream. The stakeholders in the project were identified as:

• City of Dearborn – the Police Department (owns responsibility for the Shelter), the Mayor’s office, supporting City activities such as City Planning, and City Council
• Friends Organization – Board, staff, and volunteers 
• Greater Dearborn Community – Citizens interested in the project and potential adoptors and donors

  The following steps were taken:

§         Extensive research was conducted. Other animal humane organizations were contacted for information and recommendations. Lists of best-in-class shelters and associated architectural firms were compiled. Many were contacted by phone for further information.  

§           Police Sergeant Michael DeLaney and Friends Executive Director Elaine Greene made several visits to other Shelters. Interviews were conducted and photographs taken. They also actually experienced the workings of selected other newly constructed Shelter facilities. Data was gathered including costs, best-in-class design elements, operational considerations, architectural performance, staffing requirements, etc. The result of these studies is available for review under separate cover. 

§         Interviews were conducted with selected City officials to understand their requirements and recommendations for a new facility.

§           Workshops were conducted with ordinance officers, Shelter staff, and volunteers to document issues with the existing facility and to capture ideas for and requests for a new facility.

§           Members of the community were consulted to understand the view of a visitor and potential adoptor to the facility – what would they find pleasing, how would they like to view the animals, what would they need to make an adoption decision, etc.

§         A detailed list of requirements, restrictions, and challenges for not only the building but for each area was developed.

This information was shared with an initial architectural firm and the resulting plan was disappointing. The architectural firm of ARQ was then engaged. It was our understanding, from meetings with the City, that the planned location for the new facility would be the property south of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, and ARQ was instructed to develop a design for this property. The resulting design is wonderfully innovative.  

This design was then reviewed with City officials and Friends staff and volunteers. In addition, the Friends established an Advisory Council (recently renamed Advisory Board) for the new facility and solicited membership from community leaders and citizens. There were over 75 members of this Council. The facility specifications and resulting preliminary designs were also reviewed with them. The design was very favorably received by all who reviewed it.

The most recent work has been led by Ford Land with assistance from Walbridge Aldinger.

Principles

The Principles used for the design phase of this project included:

     §          The new facility will be designed, built, and operated to be fully integrated with and a source of pride to the 
      people and government of Dearborn.

      §          State of the art concepts in animal housing and care, as determined by research and visits with other 
      facilities, will be incorporated into the design, construction, and operation.