WAXAHACHIE – The Waxahachie City Council officially approved the purchase of a 20-acre property on US 287 Business on Sept. 21 to construct a new animal services building.
Prior to the vote, the city held an option period on the land while finalizing logistical reviews.
The acquisition was a major milestone since this project has been years in the making.
The current animal shelter on Lions Park Road is more than 30-years-old, structurally deficient, and heavily space-limited.
As far back as 2022, council members agreed a modern replacement was “long overdue” after former Waxahachie Police Chief Wade Goolsby presented a formal facility needs assessment.
To address those needs, the city council approved funding in 2025 for an updated feasibility study alongside Quorum Architects and Ellis County to evaluate long-term space demands, ideal regional partnerships, and potential new locations.
This past spring, the city hosted interactive public engagement sessions to review facility layout ideas with residents.
Shortly after, the project received a monumental boost when Compass Data Centers committed a $15-million grant to fully fund a state-of-the-art regional facility.
These efforts over the past four years finally culminated in the Sept. 21 property agreement, transforming years of planning into a reality.
With the land purchase officially complete, the city can now turn its attention to the actual design, layout, and construction timeline for the new shelter.
The 20-acre facility will be designed to feature disease quarantine wings, indoor-outdoor kennels, and on-site veterinary suites to accommodate rapid regional growth.