Construction Complete for New Adoption Center at Charleston Animal Society - Berkeley Campus

Construction has been completed for a new adoption center at the Charleston Animal Society’s Berkeley Campus, marking a significant expansion for animal services in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The 5,349-square-foot facility, connected to the existing shelter at 131 Central Berkeley Drive, includes 27 kennels for adoptable dogs, a kitten room, cat room, two adoption rooms, and two large “meet and greet” spaces. Additional features include a laundry room, office space, food prep and storage areas, and renovations to the exterior kennel area. The project, costing approximately $1.697 million, was funded in part by in-house work from Berkeley County departments, including Roads & Bridges, Facilities & Grounds, and Water and Sanitation.

The new center aims to enhance adoption services and reduce overcrowding, with officials highlighting its role in improving animal welfare. “We are proud to celebrate this much-needed expansion to meet the needs of our growing County,” said Amy Stern, Berkeley County Council District 5. “This project represents an important investment in the health and well-being of our community’s animals by expanding capacity, enhancing adoption services, and creating more opportunities to find them loving homes.”

Key Features of the New Adoption Center

The facility separates animals into distinct areas: those under stray hold and those ready for adoption. Joe Elmore, president and CEO of Charleston Animal Society, explained that adoption center animals are processed, spayed/neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. “This layout is meant to help families get to know animals better,” Elmore said. The expansion also added 15 kennels to the existing building, with the new space designed to streamline adoptions and reduce euthanasia rates. “In the first year of our partnership, we saw euthanasia drop 43% at the Berkeley Campus,” Elmore noted.

Construction Complete for New Adoption Center at Charleston Animal Society - Berkeley Campus — Photo: live5news.com

Partnership and Community Impact

Berkeley County and the Charleston Animal Society emphasized the project’s success as a public-private partnership. “The County’s investment… will provide lasting benefits for our community,” said Johnny Cribb, Berkeley County Supervisor. The facility, owned by the county but managed by the society, is the third campus operated by the organization. Elmore praised the collaboration, stating it served as a model for other regions. “This is a model of government leaders listening to the public and developing a public-private partnership to deliver the care and compassion the Berkeley community wants for animals,” he said.

The adoption center is set to open after the New Year, with plans to launch a life-saving campaign in 2027 to address animal overpopulation. “This will help us facilitate animals into homes much faster,” Elmore said. “It’s a savings for taxpayers of Berkeley County.”

Elmore highlighted the partnership’s broader impact, noting that the Lowcountry’s growth has increased the number of companion animals. “This will help us provide more space by facilitating adoptions much faster and not having to hold on to them so much,” he said. The Charleston Animal Society also operates a fully staffed spay-neuter clinic, which Elmore said complements the adoption center’s mission. “Neither one of us could have done it alone,” he added.

“We were involved and they included us. It was a great partnership in building this. It was done ahead of schedule,” he said. Construction took about a year, with Elmore praising the efficiency of the collaboration. “They did it fast. They did it well,” he said.

“So, we’re hoping other places around the state, other counties around the state municipalities, will look at this public-private partnership, see how we’re stronger together, and then move forward with it,” Elmore said.

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