New Greyhound kennel constructionIn late October of 2007, National Greyhound Adoption Program began construction on a new kennel and surgical facility. This facility is being built inside an existing warehouse space attached to our current office on our large, Far Northeast campus. Image: Cutting warehouse floor. Many months went into the design and planning of the approximate 20,000 square foot area within our 96,000 square foot building. Once the design was perfected and approved, the building began! |
The first monumental task for the new facility was installing drainage in the floor. Channels were mapped out throughout the future kennel and surgery site. Those channels were then cut into the existing concrete floor and trenches were dug out. A small excavator had to be purchased for just this purpose. Everything had to be pitched to the main drain in the building, and for many months this area looked like an octopus, with tentacles going out in all directions. We had to take great care whenever we were out walking in the warehouse that we didn’t fall in a ditch!
Top Left Image: Preparing Floor for digging.
Bottom Right Image: Drain Pipes Installed
Once the channels were dug, pipe had to be installed for drainage. Additional drain connection piping was installed for all of the sink units and hundreds of feet of trench drain, to be located under the kennel runs, were also installed. What a task!
Sixty yards of concrete - all wheel-barrowed in! - were needed to fill in the trenches once the piping was in place. After the concrete was smoothed and dry, we were finally ready to build walls for the kennel area! The space was separated into five separate kennel areas with feeding stations, interior turnout areas, bathing and laundry rooms, the post-op area, x-ray room, and pack room. Most of the walls were built 12 feet high, although some were built even higher, most with 12” block.
Top: Kennel Drains Installed.
The enormous task of painting these block walls came next. Each block wall was sealed with two coats of block filler, followed by a smoothing coat on top of that, followed by an epoxy coat. We are just now waiting to test the endurance of the epoxy before we complete the painting process.
Left: Kennel Block Walls. Right: Pouring cement around trench drains in kennel area.
Eight new pieces of stainless steel surgical equipment have already arrived, all prep tables, surgical tables and examination tables. We will be placing steel beams in the ceiling shortly to support surgical lighting and then the remaining rooms will be configured in the surgical area.
We will be seeking permits for HVAC and for the electrical work needed for the kennel and surgical unit. The new automatic doors are already in place and will be electrically connected shortly. The entire front of the kennel and surgical entrance is being redone with a new façade and a 20-foot concrete pad outside of the kennel will be poured in the very near future. Once that is complete we will be installing an outdoor fence.
We here at National Greyhound Adoption Program are very excited about the progress being made on our new facility. Everyone is invited to visit and see!
Preparing building for new facade.
Left: Kennel HVAC duct work - ready to install. Right: Interior turnout without fencing.
Left: Construction of new facade at kennel entrance. Right: One of four exterior automatic turnout doors.
Left: One of five kennel areas with finished walls in light blue epoxy. Right: Surgery floor with masonry walls built, additional walls coming.
Installation of beams for supporting surgical lights.
Preparing kennel floor for finishing.
Sanding floor to smooth finish under cages.
Finished floor - GREYT!.
Assembling our huge dog cages.
View showing entry into kennel - doors not yet installed.
Cage with raised platform & puffy dog bed.
One finished kennel room.
Queen and Iceman modeling new kennel cage - they jumped in and immediately got comfortable!.
Top: January, 20 2009 Part of the dog meal preparation area ready for food and treats.
Top: January, 20 2009 Kennel staff lunchroom. Counter and cabinets.
Top: January, 20 2009 Meal preparation area for the boarding kennel.
Top: January, 20 2009 Boarding dental room for touch-up and nail clipping.
Top: January, 20 2009 Home of NGAP's kennel and clinic.
Top: January, 22 2009 Indoor fenced area for turnout. Greyt for our post-op and senior dogs.
Top: February, 6 2009 Kennel surgical area construction.
Top: February, 6 2009 Kennel senior dogs area.
Top: February, 11 2009 Hall gates between kennel and outdoor turnout doors.
Top: February, 11 2009 Outdoor drains for dog runs.
Top: February, 11 2009 Pouring outdoor concrete area by dog runs.
Top: February, 17 2009 Expanding sidewalk to kennel entry way.
Top: February, 18 2009 New sidewalk and concrete turnout area.
Top: March 9, 2009 Installing awnings to entry and dog runs.
Top: March 20, 2009 Kennel Reception area construction.
Top: March 20, 2009 Boarding Reception area construction.
Top: March 23, 2009 Boarding Reception Area Countertop.
Top: March 24, 2009 Fence posts for dog run.
Top: March 24, 2009 Fence posts for dog run.
Top: March 26, 2009 Fencing contractor and canopy contractor are discussing the awning.
Top: March 26, 2009 Laundry room.
Top: March 26, 2009 Finishing Details.
Top: April, 2 2009 Trimming dead branches in turnout areas.
Top: April, 2 2009 Fenced area in turnout and long awning framework.
Top: April, 7 2009 David Wolf lending a hand.
Top: April, 7 2009 Digging holes for fence posts.
Top: April, 7 2009 Awning construction.
Top: April, 8 2009 Awning construction.
Top: April, 8 2009 Hauling in sand in the greyhound turnout area.
Top: April, 9 2009 Awning is almost done.
Top: April, 9 2009 Spreading sand in the greyhound turnout area.
Top: April, 10 2009 Spreading sand in the greyhound turnout area.
Top: April, 10 2009 The whole team working in the greyhound turnout area.
Top: April, 10 2009 Queen was the first greyhound to step on the sand. She had a greyt time.
Top: April, 10 2009 Temporary NGAP Store.
Top: April, 13 2009 Extending the water line to the end of the fence.
Top: April, 17 2009 Preparing for asphalt paving.
Top: April, 24 2009 Spreading asphalt at the end of the dog run area.
Top: April, 24 2009 Spreading asphalt at the end of the dog run area.
Top: April, 24 2009 Rolling the asphalt in the dog run area.
Top: April, 24 2009 Finishing asphalt at the end of the dog run.
Top:April, 29 2009 Kennel Gates from main rooms to outdoor area.
Top:April, 29 2009 Outdoor greyhound turnout area has been finished!!!
Top: April, 30 2009 Reception Room - ready for the Greyhound Sunday's Romp & Spa Day on May 3, 2009 noon to 4pm.
Top: May, 15 2009 Outdoor Turnout Area - fun, fun, fun...
Top: May, 15 2009 Kennel Facade.
Top: May, 15 2009 Greyt Bathing Station.
Top: May, 15 2009 Kennel Laundry Room.
Top: May, 15 2009 Food Preparation Stations.
Top: May, 15 2009 Delivery of Catroom Furniture
Top: May, 15 2009 Omar making granite shelves for the kennel bathroom.
Top: May, 15 2009 Bug Zapper Installed
Top: May, 22 2009 Crematory Waiting Room.
Top: May, 22 2009 NGAP is getting greener...
Top: May, 22 2009 Our tulip trees in bloom.
Top: May, 22 2009 Catroom is almost finished.
Top: June, 04 2009 Welding.
Top: June, 11 2009 New Greyhound Photos in our Reception Room.
Top: June, 11 2009 New Greyhound Photos in our Reception Room.
Top: June, 11 2009 New Greyhound Photos in our Reception Room.
Top: June, 17 2009 New natural lighting in the cat room.
Top: June, 17 2009 New surgical lights.
Top: June, 17 2009 New surgical lights.
Top: June, 24 2009 Retrofitting light fixtures to energy saving.
Top: July, 02 2009 Kennel hose stations at the indoor turnout area.
Top: July, 02 2009 One of the kennel hose stations.
Top: July, 02 2009 The catroom is ready to accept its new dwellers.
Top: July, 02 2009 Natural light has been set up in a catroom.
Top: July, 02 2009 New cabinets in a laundry room.
Top: July, 31 2009 Alex Wolf and Noah Wolf are testing our new examination table.
Top: August, 13 2009 Senior Room. All furnished.
Top: August, 13 2009 Senior Room. All furnished.
Top: August, 13 2009 Senior Room. All furnished.
Top: August, 13 2009 Food preparation area is ready to provide for the kennel dogs.
Top: August, 13 2009 Food preparation area is ready to provide for the kennel dogs.
Top: August, 13 2009 Reception room.
Top: August, 13 2009 All set up for dog walkers.
Top: August, 13 2009 Telly Ho is testing new boarding accomodations.
Top: September, 19 2009 Cutting cages.
Top: October, 5 2009 Post-op.
Top: October, 5 2009 Isolation Room.
Top: October, 5 2009 Pack room.
Top: October, 29 2009 X-ray room #1.
Top: October, 29 2009 X-ray room #2.
Top: October, 29 2009 X-ray room #2.
Top: October, 28 2009 Keeping an eye on things near and far.
Top: October, 28 2009 Audio system has been installed all over the kennel to please the dogs with the sound of music.
Top: October, 28 2009 First post-op patients.
Top: October, 28 2009 Maggie.
Top: October, 28 2009 Chester.
Top: October, 28 2009 Blue.
Top: October, 28 2009 Ernest.
Top: October, 29 2009 Dogs love their new runs!
Top: April, 29 2010 Surgical facility construction goes on!
Top: April, 29 2010 Surgical facility construction goes on!
Kennel Updates - Details
Although our kennel construction is now over and all the dogs have moved to a great new facility, we are still constantly adding some details to the kennel to ensure even more comfort for both its dwellers and its visitors. Below you can see the pictures of the work done.
Top: June, 4 2010 Adding more signage to help people get around our big kennel facility.
Top: June, 4 2010 We maintain our kennel to keep it sparkling clean and fresh any time.
Top: June, 4 2010 Bug zappers have been installed in every kennel room to provide an insect-free environment for the dogs and our kennel staff.
Top: June, 4 2010 Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are on in every kennel stabilizing the microclimate no matter what the outdoor weather is like.
Top: June, 4 2010 Air conditioners and dehumidifiers are on in every kennel stabilizing the microclimate no matter what the outdoor weather is like.
Top: June, 4 2010 All over the kennel you can also see thermometers, which help us to make sure the temperature is just right.
Top: January, 27, 2011 Greyhounds love snow!
Top: January, 27, 2011 Greyhounds love snow!
Top: January, 27, 2011 The NGAP kennel is all covered in snow! Isn't that beautiful!