OKLAHOMA CITY – City officials, stakeholders, and members of the animal-loving community all gathered Tuesday to celebrate progress for the new MAPS 4 Louisa McCune Animal Welfare Center with a “topping-out” ceremony to mark the halfway point in the sprawling new complex’s construction.
The 70,000 square foot complex (which will sit on the same property as the old building at SE 29th and Bryant Ave.) was a benchmark of the MAPS 4 package passed overwhelmingly in 2019, and will more than double the space for dogs and cats.
Construction crews broke ground on the development almost exactly one year prior, on February 27th, 2025.
Budgeted at $42 million, the new facility will house adoption services, an intake center for strays and surrendered animals, a training area, and an all-new, state-of-the-art veterinary clinic, with separate entrances for each service and multiple open, outdoor areas in between for plenty of play and exercise.
The event Tuesday offered officials, stakeholders, and media a firsthand look at the ongoing construction of the new complex as a banner was raised bearing guests’ signatures and the center’s official name – given in honor of late Kirkpatrick Foundation director and MAPS 4 subcommittee member Louisa McCune – to commemorate the structure’s highest beam being mounted.
“This is a big upgrade and we’re very happy that we can provide this,” MAPS Program Manager David Todd said during the tour. “And the best thing about it is, remember, with MAPS, when it’s open, it’s paid for.”
The $42 million price tag means major improvements over the existing Animal Welfare Facility next door.
The sprawling new layout, developed by HSE Architects, boasts 546 individual dog kennels, up from just 246 in the current facility, and 317 cat “condos” – stackable living spaces for cats – up from 210 in the old shelter.
Animal advocates are hopeful that the significant increase in shelter space can dramatically reduce the number of euthanizations of stray and surrendered pets.
“It’s the City’s goal to go to no-kill facility,” Todd told media, “so this will certainly help alleviate that.”
It’s hoped that the heavily upgraded new clinic facility will also help to reduce the number of animal deaths in the center.
“There will be full veterinary services here, including a surgery suite,” Todd said. “It’s more than what they’ve able to do before.”
Ward 2 City Councilman James Cooper and Ward 7 Councilman Camal Pennington were on hand for the tour as well, with Cooper remarking on the inclusion of natural light elements in the dog kennel and cat condo spaces.
“That’s one of the sadnesses in the other building is they have no access to light,” Cooper said.
“Well, there’s a lot of that in here,” Todd replied.
Of course, the stars of the celebration were the adoptable dogs brought along for the tour, including 2-3 year-old Foxy, who donned her own safety vest and name tag for her time on the construction site.
Construction of the MAPS 4 Louisa McCune Animal Welfare Center is expected to take roughly another nine months, with the City eyeing an official opening later this year.
“Today’s topping out brings us one step closer to our goal of providing a modern, inviting animal welfare experience for Oklahoma City,” Todd said in a press statement released after the celebration. “We are on schedule, on budget, and eager to welcome both people and animals into this state-of-the-art facility.”
Brett Fieldcamp is the owner and Editor in Chief of Oklahoma City Free Press. He has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly two decades and served as Arts & Entertainment Editor before purchasing the company from founder Brett Dickerson in 2026.
He is also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
