Multnomah County moves forward with plans for new animal services facility

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- Multnomah County has officially taken another step towards building a replacement animal services facility, the Board of Commissioners announced Thursday.

The Board approved preliminary plans to replace the aging current facility in Troutdale, built in 1968. As it stands, the county says the current shelter "cannot accommodate the County’s large and growing animal population, and fails to meet national standards for animal shelter care."

The existing space is 18,000 square feet and concept designs for the new facility will double that to meet current needs.

The announcement comes after volunteers have also raised concerns about animal health, treatment, adoptions and euthanasia policies, finances and much more inside the current environment for more than a year.

Multnomah County has worked toward building or replacing the current shelter since 2007, due to the overcrowding issues. Roughly $3.5 million was put toward the project in 2016 and the proposed shelter remained in the consulting phase until recently.

A 2023 community survey further showed that the local citizens would like to see more open space and greenery for the animals, larger medical facilities and improved quarantine zones for sick animals.

Then in the fall of 2024, the Oregon Department of Agriculture issued a warning notice regarding the inadequate amount of space used to quarantine animals carrying different infectious diseases.

In October and November board meetings, shelter volunteers sounded off during public comment sessions, leading to then-county commissioner Sharon Meieran circulating a letter, which outlined a growing list of volunteer concerns.

Despite these setbacks, the county said this approval marks a major step in its commitment to improving animal care and services for the community.

“I’ve heard from many residents, community groups, and committed volunteers about the need to modernize and increase space for essential programs and housing to align with industry standards and best practices to provide quality care for our animals,” said Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards. “This is a long time coming, and I’m glad the day has arrived that we’re moving forward.”

Next, the county says it’s working to get a leadership team in place for the project along with securing funding approval by the end of March 2025.

As of now, the estimated cost of the new site ranges between $55 and 85 million.