Recent from the Bugle
The biggest thing happening for Tulsa dogs this fall isn't a park or a patio. It's the new Tulsa Animal Services shelter rising near East 36th Street North and North Sheridan Road, a $13.8 million, voter-funded facility slated to open in late September 2026.
What's in it
- More than 300 kennels for dogs, cats and other animals
- An expanded veterinary clinic and surgery center
- Dedicated isolation rooms, which matter enormously for stopping parvo and kennel cough from moving through a building
- Modern adoption spaces and outdoor exercise and enrichment areas
Director Sherri Carrier put it simply during construction: "It is amazing to see what is being built here for our community." Staff who have worked out of the old building for twenty-plus years are finally getting the facility their work deserves.
Why it matters
The current shelter at 3031 N. Erie Ave. has spent the last few years over capacity, with adoption pushes like August's Clear the Shelters and the "Big Bark Bash" (fees waived, big dogs front and center) becoming a regular necessity. More kennels, real isolation space and an on-site clinic are exactly the tools a shelter needs to lower euthanasia rates and move dogs into homes faster.
What it means for you
Adopting: every Tulsa Animal Services adoption includes spay or neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, a microchip and, for eligible pets, a city license. Adoptable dogs are listed at 24petconnect.com/TulsaAdoptablePets. Current hours are 2 to 6 p.m. daily (closed the second Wednesday of the month) until the move.
Lost a dog? The shelter is the first place to check, and the city's partnership with the Tulsa Fire Department puts microchip scanners on fire trucks so a found dog can be identified on the spot. Make sure your chip's contact info is current.
Helping: the "$20 for TAS" campaign is raising $3.7 million for amenities the construction budget doesn't cover. Fostering is the other lever: every foster opens a kennel.
We'll cover the opening and post the new address, hours and adoption details as soon as they're official.
