On April 27, 2010, a wine and cheese reception kicked off the $10-million capital campaign
to build The Animal Campus at Gragg Park. The reception took place in the historic Houston Parks and
Recreation Department headquarters located at 2999 South Wayside Drive, directly across from Gragg
Park, the future site of The Animal Campus. Campaign chairperson Alison Smith welcomed the board
members and visitors and emphasized that The Animal Campus is a crucial step towards increasing
adoptions of Houston’s Bureau of Regulation and Care (BARC) pets. The Animal Campus architect,
Kathleen English, Principle Architect of English + Associates, explained her exciting vision for the LEED-
certified adoption center. Other members of the leadership team including Tena Faust, Carroll
Robertson Ray, Tiffany Moore, Joe Turner, Greg Damianoff and Richard Vella mingled with guests
interested in hearing more about this important campaign.
ABOUT THE ANIMAL CAMPUS AT GRAGG PARK:
The Animal Campus at Gragg Park project is a $10-million capital campaign to build a state-of-the-art,
‘green’ pet adoption facility, a low-cost veterinary clinic and a public dog park on a picturesque 5.5-acre,
city-owned tract in Gragg Park along Brays Bayou and Wayside Drive. This campus is a crucial step
toward increasing adoptions of Houston’s Bureau of Regulation and Care (BARC) pets and bettering the
welfare of animals and people in the Houston area. The animal adoption facility will be owned by the
City of Houston and operated by an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization under a long-term
lease. The non-profit organization, led by experts in proactive animal sheltering, will receive healthy pets
from BARC and adopt them out to good homes. The associated low-cost veterinary clinic will provide
both spay and neuter and primary veterinary services to the public’s pets, helping drive down pet
overpopulation in Houston. To learn more about this campaign please visit www.animalcampus.org.
