A new 17,000-square-foot shelter on the Southwest Side will more than triple county kennel capacity, add surgical and adoption space, and aim to serve unincorporated areas and smaller cities by April 2027.
Current strain: The county’s Kirby shelter has 60 kennels and handles roughly 1,100 animals per year while routinely operating at about 200% capacity.
Service role: The county shelter will focus on unincorporated areas and supporting smaller suburban cities while coordinating with San Antonio’s separate animal care services.
Bexar County held a groundbreaking on Sept. 22, 2026, for a new animal care facility that will cost about $12 million. The shelter will be built at 6841 Cagnon Road on the Southwest Side and is planned to open in April 2027.
The building will be roughly 17,000 square feet and include 132 kennels, veterinary surgery and examination space, an adoption area, and administrative offices. County officials say these features will expand the services available to residents in unincorporated parts of Bexar County and help relieve pressure on the current Kirby shelter.
Initial plans in 2022 approved $5.5 million for a 48-kennel facility. In 2024 commissioners doubled the kennel count to 96 and raised the budget to $8.8 million. Commissioners later expanded the plan again to 132 kennels and the current $12 million budget. County Manager David Smith had warned earlier that smaller proposals risked being at capacity immediately upon opening.
San Antonio has been increasing its own animal-care investments, including a 12.3% budget increase this year and plans for a new veterinary hospital under its five-year strategy. County officials say the county facility is intended to serve unincorporated areas and backstop smaller suburban cities that have fewer resources. Outgoing Judge Peter Sakai said the expansion could create opportunities for collaboration with the city to coordinate services and meet community needs.
Jacy Elrod is the director of the Bexar County animal shelter. Andrea Guerrero heads Bexar County Public Health, which oversees animal care services. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores advocated for additional kennel space and framed the investment as a public-safety priority. Peter Sakai spoke about intergovernmental collaboration during the ceremony.
Construction is under way with completion expected in April 2027. The new shelter will provide increased intake capacity, surgical and medical treatment rooms, adoption space, and administrative support intended to improve the county's ability to reunite pets with owners and place animals through adoption or transfers to rescue organizations.
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