Vaughan has experienced significant growth and this growth is expected to continue. It was important that the feasibility study for Vaughan Animal Services considered the needs of the city in the long term and provide a strategy to accommodate the future growth.

The study included a design for a new 2-storey, 25,275 sq.ft. animal services facility on the Maple Nature Reserve in Vaughan – a 43-acre naturalized site on the Oak Ridges Moraine. The design considers the flow of animals through the shelter, from intake to adoption, and ensures proper segregation based on health, temperament, and species to ensure the health and safety of animal occupants.  Well-designed animal welfare spaces contribute to good physical and behavioural health in shelter animals, which has a positive impact on adoption outcomes.