7/18/2025: Construction is in full swing at our shelter! The back of our facility is currently undergoing a major transformation as part of our phase one construction project. This renovation will bring about significant updates and improvements, enhancing our ability to provide top-notch care and services to those in need. We can't wait to share the final result with you! Stay tuned for more updates.

What’s Changing During Phase One?

Improved Access to Public Services

· New back-of-shelter public entrance for spay/neuter, foster, owner surrender, and euthanasia services

· Easier access to clinical areas for faster animal evaluations

2025 Groundbreaking Ceremony

4/28/2025: The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is entering a transformative phase with a state-of-the-art shelter renovation project that will focus on upgrading its adoption center and customer services areas. The humane society broke ground on Monday, April 28, and estimates the project will be completed within 16 months.

Animal Arts Design Studios of Colorado conceived the new design concept and Team Parks, Inc., a locally based construction and development firm, has been selected as the project’s general contractor.

The purpose of renovating the shelter’s adoption center for dogs, cats and small animals is to update and improve the homeless pets’ temporary living environment. In this phase of the renovation project, the focus will be on designing living areas concerning the animals’ physical health, mental well-being and overall enrichment.

The lobby will also feature a new design that will create a friendlier, more interactive environment for potential adopters with an emphasis on reducing the animals’ stress.

Some of the improvements in the dog space will include larger kennel sizes, upgraded living spaces and new and improved soundproofing. In addition, the current living quarters of the cat and critter space will be repurposed and redesigned to include free-roaming rooms, indoor/outdoor “catios” and cat condos.

The back of the shelter will be renovated to create a new public interface dedicated to the humane society’s public programs that include spay/neuter, foster, owner surrender, and owner requested euthanasia. This new space will give easier and closer access to the clinical areas while allowing faster animal evaluations to be completed.

The shelter renovation project will ultimately provide improved quality of care to shelter and public pets, increase the number of adoptions, and improve the outcomes for the pets in the shelter. With an intentional design, the reimagined adoption center and customer service areas will offer features that support the healthiest environment for animal care.

 

 

 

 

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2019 and Prior - Shelter Renovation Projects

In April, 2019, HSTC announced its official no-kill status, making the shelter the only open-access, no-kill animal welfare organization operating in Martin County. This milestone served as a celebration of our commitment to save as many lives as possible while providing a progressive and nurturing temporary living environment for our shelter residents that includes veterinary care, exercise, enrichment activities, and as much loving human contact as possible.

The next phase of this commitment includes a three-phase renovation project to keep up with our ever-growing programs and services. HSTC will expand the adoption campus in Palm City with the additions of the Mildred & Frank Savastano Dog Play Areas and the Jane & Shirley Wurz Training Center, and with the renovation of the Adoption Centers for Dogs, Cats, and Small Animas and the Lobby.

Phase One: Mildred & Frank Savastano Dog Play Area

Frank and Millie Savastano had a vision to create a beautiful outdoor play area for the shelter dogs. Because of their commitment, HSTC was able to build six brand new fenced in outdoor play areas for the dogs. Completed this July, these play pens were constructed with the safety of the dogs in mind and for year-round use.

Using appropriate materials for fencing, artificial turf, and a structure that provides shade but also allows natural light for the dogs, the Mildred and Frank Savastano Dog Play Area not only provides a great place for the dogs to play, but also serves as an outdoor area for dogs to meet their potential new families. Since the completion of this project, our shelter dogs are now able to play, enjoy outdoor enrichment, spend time with staff and volunteers alike to socialize, and also meet potential adopters. 

HSTC wants to thank Frank and Millie Savastano for their support to help us improve the quality of life for all the dogs in our care and to increase opportunities for social interaction. 

The video clips below show two shelter dogs enjoying the new dog play area! Click on the "expand button" to the right of the volume button to view these videos in full-screen mode.

The Mildred & Frank Savastano Dog Play opened at the end of July, 2019. The structure features six separate play areas, each of which are half-shaded/half-open to sunlight.

The new structure also offers industrial fans to help our shelter dogs stay cool.

Phase Two: Jane & Shirley Wurz Training Center

Jane and Shirley Wurz held lifelong commitments to the welfare of animals and were both deeply invested in our humane society. Jane's goal was for HSTC to be able to offer low-cost training at all levels to the public, from basic to utility, because she knew the joy trained dogs can bring to their owner. To make her vision a reality, Jane made a $1 million gift to build the Jane & Shirley Wurz Training Center, as the second phase of the shelter's renovation project.

This 4,500 square-foot building will serve as the region's largest indoor training facility for dogs. This facility will allow HSTC to offer obedience training seven days a week, expand the pet enrichment programs for shelter animals, host humane education conferences, workshops, and events, and serve as a hub for bringing the community together to save more lives.

Learn about these incredible women and their vision here.

HSTC broke ground on the Jane & Shirley Wurz Training Center on Thursday, August 8, 2019, marking the start of the second phase of the Shelter Renovation Project.

From left to right: Terence McCarthy, HSTC Chairman of the Board; Gary Ober, HSTC Board of Directors; Harold Jenkins, Martin County Commissioner; Frank Valente, HSTC President & CEO; Ron Kirchman II, Kirchman Construction President; and Mary Laub Cowan, HSTC Director Emeritus and valued friend of the late Jane D. Wurz.

Project Update: As of May, 2020, the finishing touches have been added to the building's exterior.

Other Shelter Renovation Updates

• December 2018: All of the shelter's air conditioning units were replaced, creating an updated and energy-effient system to keep our pets cool and comfortable.
• December 2018: After 15 years, HSTC has a new septic drain field in place.
• July 2019: HSTC now has an outdoor pigpen to accommodate the growing number of pigs residing at the shelter on a yearly basis.
• August 2019: The Memorial Garden wood bridge was renovated to maintain safety standards.