BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The City of Buffalo has abandoned plans for a new "state-of-the-art" animal shelter on Niagara Street and will instead focus on improving the current Oak Street facility, at least for now, according to both current city officials and the incoming mayor's office.
The decision marks a reversal from announcements made in June by Acting Mayor Chris Scanlon, who was campaigning for mayor at the time. Scanlon had called the proposed Niagara Street facility the result of "several years of work" and said it would be more than twice the size of the current shelter.
WATCH: Buffalo scraps plans for new animal shelter on Niagara Street, will continue to search for new home
"That's the beauty of the new facility. More than twice the size of the current...so it's going to make life a lot easier for the employees, but obviously much more enjoyable for the animals," Scanlon said in June.
All of this comes after a 7 News I-Team investigation in October 2024 exposed questionable conditions at the current Oak Street shelter. The investigation revealed dogs kept in cages where feces and urine needed cleaning, with at least one dog pacing in circles and smearing feces on the floor.
An anonymous source told the I-Team they had "encountered disturbing conditions that compromise the health and welfare of the animals in the shelter's care."
Allies of the shelter once again sounded the alarm in August 2025, calling for help and demanding accountability for what they said were dangerous conditions inside the facility.
WATCH: 'We’re so fed up': Advocates sound alarm over Buffalo Animal Shelter conditions
Nolan Skipper, Commissioner of the Department of Public Works, which operates the city animal shelter, will remain in his position under Mayor-elect Sean Ryan. Skipper said the city will take a "two-pronged approach" moving into the new year.
The plan includes making improvements at the Oak Street facility while reviewing options for a new animal shelter in the future.
Animal advocates told 7 News on Friday that the current facility is too small and inadequate.
Jake Jablonski walked around the exterior on Friday morning, showing the cracks and patches along the wall.
"There's nothing that you look at here and you're like: This reflects a city that cares about their animals, unfortunately," Jablonski said.
It's not about a lack of commitment from volunteers.
"If you go inside, you'll see a bunch of very dedicated volunteers that very clearly do, but they're doing their best with what they've got, which is not a lot, unfortunately.”
Rachel Hewitt, a volunteer at the shelter, said she's not surprised that the plan to go to Niagara Street didn't work out, but she said staying at Oak Street won't work.
“There's just no space," she said. "So we dream, you know, that a new shelter would have multiple meet and greet rooms. Rooms for enrichment. The weather half the year here is garbage, so having more indoor space and outdoor space, multiple outdoor spaces would be a huge game changer.”
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