Kind News Magazine Features “Super” Shelter Spaces
May 12th, 2025
By Heidi Colonna, Kind News™ Writer and Co-Editor –
Credit: San Diego Humane Society
We talked with staff from shelters across the country: Animal Friends in Pittsburgh, the SPCA Serving Erie County in New York, and San Diego Humane Society. We also spoke with Caty Townsend, an associate with Animal Arts: A Denver architecture and design firm that specializes in spaces for animals.
One of Townsend’s favorite projects was Atlanta Humane Society’s new facility, which included an outdoor dog space with the hydrant and tennis ball features. “Visitors can see dogs playing like they would in a park,” says Townsend, noting how the space can bring out a dog’s full personality and enhance a potential adopter’s experience.
Credit: Animal Arts Design Studios
Kind News editor Heidi Colonna hopes that articles such as these will inspire young readers to think about the concept of choice for the pets in their lives. “Learning about spaces that shelter pets love gives children a window into how they can help ensure good animal welfare at home,” she says. “Can their dogs get shade? Does their cat have access to vertical space?”
Read the full article, and share it with children you know, in our May/June 2025 issue of Kind News: KindNews.org/May25
Want to get involved? Visit KindNews.org/adopt to learn how you can adopt one or more classrooms today, or email KindNews@RedRover.org.
