Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay families looking to adopt a pet or get veterinary care will no longer need to drive to Doral once a new $25 million animal shelter opens in South Dade.
Miami-Dade County broke ground Tuesday, Aug. 11, on the South Dade Pet Adoption and Protection Center at 29500 Harriet Tubman Highway, according to South Dade Spotlight. Officials describe it as the first full-service county adoption center in the South Dade area, with completion expected by September 2027.
Right now, the county's main adoption center sits at 3599 NW 79th Ave. in Doral, far north of the communities it serves in southern Miami-Dade. Cutler Bay's town website directs residents seeking spay and neuter services to that Doral location or a clinic in Homestead.
"I'm proud to welcome this state-of-the-art animal shelter to South Dade," District 8 Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins said in a county statement. "It reflects our commitment to compassionate animal care, smart investment, and bringing vital services closer to the families and pets who call this community home."
Cohen Higgins' district includes Palmetto Bay. She joined Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, District 12 Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez, Animal Services Director Annette Jose and Ivan Herrera of UniCapital Asset Management Group at the morning ceremony. Cohen Higgins' office did not respond to a request for additional comment beyond the press release.
How the deal works
The center is being built through a public-private partnership with Unicapital Medley QOZB LLC, a subsidiary of UniCapital Asset Management Group. Under the exchange agreement, the county will hand over its existing overflow shelter in Medley to the developer, who will convert it into at least 100 income-restricted apartments. In return, the county receives the vacant land on Harriet Tubman Highway and a new shelter built with more than $11.5 million in developer investment.
Groundbreaking materials describe the facility as 30,000 square feet, though the county's earlier approval documents listed 25,000 square feet. The finished building will include modern kennel areas, medical suites, play yards and an adoption center. It will also house the county's spay and neuter clinic, currently located at the South Dade Government Center.
Local connection
Palmetto Bay already invests in connecting residents with county animal services. The village council approved a $10,000 Adopt-A-Pet program in July 2025, sponsored by Councilwoman Marsha Matson and co-sponsored by Vice Mayor Mark Merwitzer, to reimburse residents for adoption fees at county shelters.
Miami-Dade Animal Services handles nearly 15,000 lost, abandoned or injured dogs and cats each year and provides vaccination and sterilization services for almost 20,000 free-roaming community cats, according to the county.
Construction is underway with substantial completion expected by September 2027. No public comment period has been announced for the project. Residents with questions can contact Miami-Dade Animal Services through the county's website.
