Aurora breaks ground on new animal shelter after current facility reaches capacity

The City of Aurora broke ground on a new animal shelter this week. On Tuesday, city officials grabbed shovels and started digging at the future site of the shelter just east of Chambers Road on East 32nd Avenue.

The new location is near the current Aurora Animal Shelter, which has become outdated, according to city officials. The current shelter was built in the 1980s as an impound facility and was later converted into a shelter. 

Since the original shelter conversion, Aurora's population has grown from about 150,000 to more than 400,000. City officials said the rapid growth of the city has stressed the facility, prompting the construction of a new shelter, which will be three times the size of the current facility. 

The hope is that the new shelter will create a better experience for residents, volunteers, and people who want to adopt. 

"This project is about more than a building. It will create new opportunities for adoptions, enhance animal care and medical services, and strengthen community engagement with the shelter's mission," said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman. 

Construction on the new shelter is expected to be completed in late 2027.