$14 Million Raised
$17.5 Million Goal
We have raised $14 million – but we still need your help! Together we will save lives, love them all, and Build the Future.
Capital Campaign
Building the Future
For over 50 years, Suncoast Humane Society has helped tens of thousands of animals live happier, safer and healthier lives, healing them with lifesaving services and connecting them to a loving community of support here in the Suncoast region of Florida and beyond.
Together, we will continue to care for the vulnerable by building a campus dedicated to defending, protecting and caring for the pets in need in our community!
Our new Soderberg Campus is now open and operating from 2620 Worth Avenue, Englewood, FL.
Our campus is thriving, and we’re so close to reaching our capital goal! Your support can help us bridge the final gap and minimize financing costs. Plus, there are still exciting naming opportunities available. Join us in making a meaningful impact!
Ribbon Cutting – January 9, 2025
On Thursday, January 9th, we gathered for a momentous Ribbon Cutting ceremony of our Soderberg Campus attended by four of our local Chambers of Commerce, along with our devoted donors, board members, community partners, the brilliant architectural and construction teams, our compassionate pet therapy team, dedicated staff, and enthusiastic volunteers. The atmosphere was filled with joy and anticipation as Peter and Elsa Soderberg cut the ribbon, marking a new chapter for our community. They were joined by Jeff Moore, President of the Board of Trustees, Maureen O’Nell, CEO of Suncoast Humane Society, and Dr. George and Carol Milne— also champions for our cause.
Jeff and Maureen took a moment to share their heartfelt vision and the determination it took to bring this innovative, animal-centric facility to life. Their words resonated deeply as everyone celebrated the hard work and dream that has culminated in this fantastic space for our furry friends.
But that was just the beginning! The weekend was filled with joy—starting with a special private event, followed by our Raise The Woof Community Day celebration and even Puppy Yoga! It was a perfect blend of community spirit, compassion for animals, and lots of tail wags. We had over 1,000 visitors come through our campus to Raise The Woof throughout the day.
This campus is more than just a building; it’s a beacon of hope for countless animals and humans alike. Together, we are nurturing a community where love and support for our four-legged friends thrive. Here’s to many more adventures ahead!
Milestones
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Preconstruction
Building the future begins with $11.5 million raised for phase 1.
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Site Prep
Future Home Suncoast Humane Society signs completed!
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Construction Begins
When the silt fence goes in, construction begins!
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Dog Shelter
Renderings of the future Dog Shelter.
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Cat Shelter
Renderings of the future Cat Shelter.
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Community Center
Renderings of the future Community Center.
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Veterinary Center
Renderings of the future Veterinary Center.
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Intake Center
Renderings of the future Intake Center.
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Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, January 9, 2025
What is our vision for our new campus?
Because pets need people, and together we have a lot of work to do to create a world where all pets are loved, we help pets and people live happier, healthier lives filled with love.
Pets have a profound impact on our lives. They bring us joy. They give us hope. They are family to us, and we are compelled to protect them. For 50 years, Suncoast Humane Society has been the safety net for tens of thousands of dogs, cats and small critters. We have become their guardian, their protector, so they can gain health, prevent overpopulation and find their forever family. Together, we will continue to care for the vulnerable by building a campus dedicated to defending and nurturing the pets in need in our community.
Interview Videos and Photos
Maureen O’Nell
CEO
Jeff Moore
Board President
Brian Leaver Sr. V.P & Principle Officer
Barron Schimberg
Lead Architect
Veterinary Center
Intake Center
Community Empowerment Center
Community Empowerment Center – Courtyard
Dog Play Yard
Dog Shelter from the Courtyard
Dog Shelter and Pool
Cat Shelter from the Courtyard
Cat Shelter Looking South
Site Work Photos & Videos
Recent Photos (Click to Enlarge):
More Photos and Videos (Click to Enlarge):
Why does Suncoast Humane Society need a new campus?
Animal welfare has evolved to where the animal’s emotional health is considered as paramount as its physical health.
We must do better than to simply kennel and contain those who are homeless and helpless. The animals who come to us did nothing wrong; the humans failed them. While the nation was waking up to our lifesaving and life-affirming obligation, Suncoast Humane Society’s building deteriorated and became outdated.
The kennels are dark, loud and scary.
The cats have no sunlight.
There is little space for play and exercise.
The air is stagnant.
The floors are beyond repair and the building is in structural failure.
Despite our best efforts to create an enriched environment, the condition and current building layout limits our staff and volunteers’ ability to provide a healthy and happy space for our animals. Even with significant structure improvements, the building’s limitations prohibit Suncoast Humane Society from providing a high standard of care.
Today, there are hundreds of dogs and cats in our community who need help. They are hungry. They are homeless, and without us, they are hopeless. These needs are very real, and all part of the reason Suncoast Humane Society exists:
There are families struggling with food insecurities who need our Community Pet Food Bank to be able to keep their pet with them and out of the shelters.
There are children with learning disabilities counting on our Therapy pets to spark their confidence and subsequently increase their skills.
There is a pet whose guardian passed away with no one to take them in.
While our staff and volunteers take care of those in need today, we cannot forget how critical it is for us to look to the immediate future. Our current facility is substandard. Space is cramps and poorly laid out. The current design of kennels is traumatic for most of the pets. The animals deserve better. The community deserves better.
Together, we can build a future where dogs get to be dogs, cats get to be cats, and together, we love and protect them all.
Reducing our
Carbon Paw Print
We share this environment and our individual
health is reliant on our collective health.
We’ve created an environmentally-conscious build, with exacting attention given to the property, our vision and our conviction to not only protect the pets we will tend to, but to protect the animals who call this land home.
Gopher Tortoise burrows preserved
Scrub Jay territory preserved
Natural vegetation preserved
Buildings designed to preserve maximum number of existing trees and ground cover
Buildings oriented to maximize prevailing summer winds and provide maximum shade
Wet retention to minimize impact on property and located to maximize drainage efficiency due to slope of the land
The New Suncoast Humane Society Campus at a Glance:
12,666 square foot state-of-the-art animal shelter featuring two cat housing pods and a dog shelter with an extensive outdoor play space (including pools and runs)
4,359 square foot modernized veterinary clinic
7,308 square foot multi-purpose building for community gatherings, as well as programs including youth camps, a pet food bank, pet therapy and animal behavioral training
A preserve for those animals living on the surrounding grounds, such as Scrub Jays and Gopher tortoises with walking paths and places for respite throughout the campus
The new campus is designed to support the emotional health that is paramount to happy and healthy pets.
The campus will be built on 11.5 acres of foliage-dense land that tortoises and scrub jays call home, to provide an innovative shelter, a veterinary clinic and a community empowerment center that seamlessly blends into the natural environment. Given the property’s natural and unique beauty, the landscaping was given as much importance as the buildings.
Innovative Shelter
Cats will lounge in living spaces with fresh air and butterfly gardens. They will get to stretch out, climb and watch wildlife outside their safe havens. Dog runs will allow for indoor and outdoor access, with lots of fresh air and sunshine. There will be swimming pools, play yards and a walking trail.
Veterinary Clinic
The clinic will provide critical preventive services, such as vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries, to keep pets and our community healthy.
Community Empowerment Center
The community center will be a hub to care for and celebrate our love of animals, where people in need can get pet food, new adopters can attend behavioral classes, and guardians can receive compassionate end-of-life services.
Our Proposed Project Budget:
Suncoast Humane Society selected a team of professionals, all with the commitment to ensure the construction is the best quality with the least life cycle cost, using the value engineering construction approach.
Value engineering construction is a calculated, systematic approach to ensuring that the necessary functions of the project are created with the lowest cost materials and components. Value engineering construction prioritizes cost management, while not effecting the quality of the project.
Project Construction Costs: $17,500,000, including:
Brick-and-mortar: Using Value engineering construction approach, Dog Shelter, Outdoor Dog Runs and Pools, Cat House with Pods, Clinic, Community Center and Administrative Building.
Additional Project Costs:
Architectural & Landscape Design, Walking Trails, Butterfly Gardens, Engineering & Permit Fees
Equipment, Furniture & Fixtures (Dog and Cat Kenneling, Surgical Suite, Radiology)
Contingencies
Net-zero/solar
1 year’s worth of annual operating costs
Who is Building the Future:
Architect & Interior Design
General Contracting
Commercial Construction Project Management
Civil Engineering
Landscape Architect
Mechanical, Structural, & Electrical Engineering
Acoustical Engineering
Let's build the
future, for them.
There is urgency to our mission and an unrelenting drive for our vision. We have raised $13.5 million to build our new campus – but we need your help! Together we will save lives, love them all, and build the future.
