After years of planning, fundraising and construction, Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando is set to unveil its new Orlando shelter with a grand opening celebration this weekend.
Pet Alliance on Saturday, March 28 will introduce a larger, more advanced space designed to expand lifesaving care and connect more pets with permanent homes.
The new facility opening comes years after a devastating fire in 2021 stripped the organization of its original location near the Mall at Millenia.
Located at 4311 S. John Young Parkway, the new shelter — which will house the Kylie J. Capri Campus and Edward H. Hensley Adoption Center — will span 25,000 square feet, offer expanded adoption areas and a fully air-conditioned environment for animals.
It also will house what the organization says is the largest shelter-based veterinary clinic in Florida. With double the previous medical space, the facility is designed to treat even more animals in need.
The building will include disease-specific quarantine areas to limit the spread of illness, dedicated rooms for neonatal kittens and flexible spaces that allow the organization to respond to emergencies, like taking in animals displaced by natural disasters. Outdoor play areas and plans for a vegetable and herb garden — for enrichment and natural treats — are also in store.
The shelter’s grand opening “pawty” will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, followed by a public celebration at noon. There will be a live DJ, food trucks, merchandise, and activities. Most importantly, adoptable pets will be available on-site, ready to meet potential owners.
“We are ecstatic the time is finally here for us to move into our beautiful, new shelter and open our doors to the public,” said interim executive director Lindsay Framstead in a statement. “We are thrilled to have an incredible lifesaving space that allows for expanded medical care and more pets finding loving homes.”
The project has been years in the making. Construction began in November 2024, three years after the original location’s fire. Funding has largely come from community support through the organization’s “Almost Home” campaign, which is nearing its $15 million goal with just over $300,000 remaining.
Founded in 1937 as the Orlando Humane Society, Pet Alliance has grown into a regional leader serving Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. Each year, more than 4,000 animals rely on the organization for shelter, medical care and, ultimately, a chance at adoption.
With doors now set to open, the new facility is positioned to expand that impact — offering not just a temporary home for animals in need, but a more advanced, compassionate space designed to help them heal, connect and find permanent families.
The shelter will be open daily for adoptions from noon to 6 p.m.
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