A Beacon of Hope for Animals in Need

Kaia was alone, scared and injured.

The young Shepherd mix puppy was wandering alone as a stray in Ellis County with a radial fracture on her right front let. To this day, the cause of her injury is unknown, but to a dog alone in the streets it could have very well have been a fatal one.

Kaia was lucky. The Ellis County Sheriff’s Office found her and took her to the SPCA of Texas Ellis County Animal Care Center. From there she made her way north to the Dallas Animal Care Center (Lonestar), where medical staff stood ready to give her all the healing care and love she needed. Her injuries were healed, her health was restored, and, three months to the day later, she was adopted into a forever home.

Finding and rescuing stray and abused animals is only part of the SPCA of Texas’ mission. A roof over their heads and food in their bellies is just a start. Once they arrive, these animals also need medical care, training and nurturing. The SPCA of Texas has invested heavily in creating just the right environment for that task.

Currently, the SPCA of Texas maintains four campuses dedicated to the welfare of animals in North Texas and a host of programs and services. Powered by the generosity of donors, the SPCA of Texas partners with the community to help rescue, care for and rehome animals all while keeping pets off the streets, out of shelters and in homes.

Lonestar, located at 2400 Lone Star Drive in Dallas, can house around 250 animals. The facility, along with the attached Myron K. Martin Spay/Neuter and Animal Care Clinic and the Russell H. Perry Pet Resource Center, comprises a 40,000 square foot megaplex of animal care and advocacy.

While the adoptable dog pods and cat rotunda are the most familiar areas to the general public, in the back exists several kennels for animals who are still undergoing medical treatment and behavior training while they get ready for their forever homes. There is an eight-bed surgical center staffed by veterinarians and veterinary tech teams. Storage space is on hand to house enough supplies to care for hundreds of animals. Outside, four large play yards allow for dog exercise and recreation. Then, there is a full-service vet clinic to meet the needs of the community at low cost.

The SPCA of Texas also maintains the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center, the Ellis County Animal Care Center, an Equine/Livestock Center and the Mary Spencer Spay/Neuter and Veterinary Care Clinic at Village Fair. The organization also features a vibrant volunteer and foster program, the Russell H. Perry Pet Resource Center, mobile veterinary services, adoptable cats at local PetSmart stores and more.

This integrated network of resources is uniquely situated to respond to the needs of North Texas animals of all types. It also serves as a resource to partner organizations and governmental agencies, both local and national.

“Our campuses are run by a dedicated staff with decades of experience, and they were constructed with diligent application of best practices in animal care,” said Victoria Cowper, CAWA, Vice President of Operations for the SPCA of Texas. “Every square foot is conscientiously planned and cared for by our maintenance team and staff and volunteers to create a healthy and comfortable environment for the animals in our care and the people who work, volunteer and visit our facilities.”

What stands in place today is the culmination of years of planning and effort.

The beginnings of the SPCA of Texas were much humbler. Animals rescued by the Dallas Animal Protective League (DAPL) were first housed in a simple Quonset hut on S. Industrial Blvd. The Society for Animal Protection (SAP) built a basic shelter on Overton Rd. in 1954. The DAPL and the SAP merged in 1970 to become the Dallas SPCA, and a fundraising drive was kicked off to pay for a new shelter on S. Industrial Blvd. The animals housed in the Quonset hut were transferred to the Overton Dr. Facility that same year.

The groundbreaking for a new shelter on S. Industrial Blvd. was held on May 16, 1973. The E.M. “Ted” Dealey Animal Care Center was formally dedicated on Dec. 11 with an open house following. Located at 362 S. Industrial Blvd., only a stone’s throw away from where a Quonset hut once sufficed as a small shelter for thousands of animals each year.

This shelter would be expanded and improved over the years, with a spay/neuter clinic being installed in 1976 and the Dallas SPCA eventually purchasing the two adjacent lots for expansion.

For nearly 40 years, the shelter on S. Industrial Blvd. served the needs of the community. With an ever-increasing scope of services and a constantly growing population, the need for a bigger and more sophisticated space led the organization – now known as the SPCA of Texas – to look for a new home base.

The JRJ ACC was opened to the public in 2012 and continues the mission of the SPCA of Texas into the future.

Your support is critical to ensuring that every animal, whether in our care or in your neighborhood, gets the help they need. And your gifts during North Texas Giving Day are amplified! Give now through midnight on September 22 to help save more animals throughout North Texas.