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The Animal Rescue League of Boston’s new facility has been under construction since the spring and is expected to be completed in 2026.
A Boston animal shelter organization has received the largest single gift in its history for a new facility, according to the Boston Business Journal.
The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), a female-founded animal welfare organization that has operated since 1899, received a $2 million donation Nov. 13 from Arthur and Paula Rabe, the Boston Business Journal reported. The gift will support the ARL’s construction of a new three-story facility in the South End, which is expected to cost $48 million.
The ARL broke ground on the facility in April, with a ceremony held to celebrate the construction’s commencement. Though the ARL has operated out of a South End facility since 1956, it “no longer meets the standard of care our animals deserve and severely limits the organization’s ability to evolve and adapt to the needs of animals and pet owners,” according to the organization’s website.
“Our Boston shelter is the heart and soul of the ARL Boston, but it is outdated and no longer meets the standard of care that animals deserve and that we can provide,” Dr. Edward Schettino, the ARL’s president & CEO, told the Boston Business Journal.
The new facility will include an animal care and adoption center, a veterinary hospital, an outpatient veterinary clinic, a center for dog training classes, and various support services. Construction of the facility is expected to be completed in 2026, according to the organization.
The facility’s exterior was designed by Boston-based architecture firm J. Garland Enterprises to “seamlessly blend with the South End’s distinctive architecture,” the ARL said. As the facility’s construction continues, the original center will remain open so the ARL can continue providing its services.
The Rabe family has supported the ARL since 2007, when they adopted a cat named Jill from their facility, according to the Boston Business Journal.
“This new building will provide an accessible, affordable center so people who desire an animal can share their lives with one,” donor Arthur Rabe told the news outlet.
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