King County buys building for new Kent animal shelter

King County will keep its regional animal shelter in Kent, but at a new location scheduled to open in 2027.

The county purchased a building and property in the north end of the Valley at 5920 S. 194th Street to be the new shelter and headquarters for Regional Animal Services, according to a Friday, July 11 press release from the Office of King County Executive. The current site is at 21605 64th Ave. S., about 2 miles south of the new location.

The county paid $11.5 million on July 8 for the property and expects to invest $8 million in renovations to turn it into a modern animal shelter, according to an email from Amy Enbysk, spokesperson for the King County executive.

Then-County Executive Dow Constantine proposed last year spending $19.8 million in his 2025 budget to acquire property and build a new shelter. The King County Council approved the project in November 2024 as part of a $10.2 billion budget. County officials said the current Kent site is too constraining and features a facility more than 50 years old.

The money comes from the county’s general fund via the Capital Improvement Program budget for building repair and replacement, as well as the fees the 24 contract cities, including Kent, pay to the county for animal care and control services, according to a county Department of Executive Services spokesperson.

King County switched in 2010 to a regional model to improve services after previously covering all the costs. The cities contract with the county to provide animal control officers, sheltering and licensing services. Pet license fees cover a majority of the costs for the cities. Several of Kent’s neighboring cities, including Renton, Auburn and Federal Way, run their own animal services program.

“This new, modern shelter strengthens King County’s role as a national model for compassionate animal care,” said King County Executive Shannon Braddock. “Thank you to the staff and volunteers who give thousands of cats, dogs, and other animals a second chance by helping them find their forever homes.”

A study commissioned by King County in 2023 found that the current facility is functionally obsolete. Planning for a replacement started later that year.

“We’re excited about the possibilities this new location will bring,” said Tim Anderson, manager of Regional Animal Services. “This new facility will strengthen our ability to care for animals as they wait for new homes, and help them thrive in a comfortable, modern environment. It also allows us to continue providing the high level of compassionate, cost-effective service that residents across King County expect and deserve.”

King County will begin renovations later this summer. Converting the existing warehouse and offices into a modern animal shelter is expected to take about 18 months.

The new location will have an improved, more efficient layout, allowing animal services to continue implementing modern animal shelter best practices. It will also improve the pet adoption experience with upgraded kennel spaces and more room for meeting potential new pets.

With 45 employees and an active volunteer team of more than 500 people, Regional Animal Services of King County serves over one million residents living in 24 cities, as well as unincorporated King County.

In 2024, King County found homes for 3,440 dogs, cats, and other animals, and reunited 744 missing pets with their families, according to the press release. Animal control officers also responded to nearly 5,000 calls to protect the health, safety, and welfare of people and pets.

Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.