Maricopa County is gearing up to open a brand new complex in the East Valley dedicated to animal care and adoption. Starting May 2, the doors of the new 84,000-square-foot East Valley Animal Care Center in Mesa, will welcome thousands of four-legged residents, and hopefully, they're soon-to-be families. According to ABC15, the facility sports 346 kennels and 21 yards for future pets to roam.

Situated near Mesa Drive and Baseline Road, this shelter is set to replace the old East Valley shelter that's been serving the community from Loop 101 and Rio Salado Parkway, which closed its doors for the last time on April 22. The shelter is reportedly motivated by a desire to offer improved quality of care, "This new facility will make a drastic difference in the quality of, care our staff and volunteers can provide," Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) Director Debbie McKnight said in a statement obtained by Maricopa County's official website.

The adoption pricing model at the MCACC aims to encourage the swift integration of animals into loving homes, with rates set at $25 for dogs that have been sheltering residents for over 30 days and $50 for those under. A premium adoption fee of $150 is set for puppies younger than 5 months. Those curious about the shelter can look forward to a grand opening event on May 4, where the community is invited to engage in a variety of activities, including volunteer sign-ups and animal training tips.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Sellers highlighted the effort put into the construction of the facility, "For years, the team at Animal Care & Control has worked hard to move the new East Valley Animal Care Center across the finish line," he told ABC15. The new, shelter also includes a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic and an isolation area for disease prevention.

Last year, the MCACC served over 16,000 pets, and with the new facility, those numbers are expected to remain steady or climb. More than 13,000 animals found their forever homes, while over 2,000 were transferred to rescue organizations, and 2,300 returned to their owners, maintaining an average save rate of 95%. The new center is located at 1920 South Lewis, Mesa, AZ 85210 and will operate Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and 12 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday.