Kerrville Pets Alive broke ground last week on its new S.A.F.E. Campus facility, marking a significant milestone for the animal rescue organization that has saved more than a thousand pets and served as a critical resource during the July 4 flood.
The groundbreaking ceremony, attended by Chamber of Commerce members, elected officials, founding board members and volunteers, celebrated the start of construction on what will become a comprehensive pet resource center for the community.
“We’re standing here today on what has been a dream for a long time,” said Karen Guerriero, who announced during the ceremony her new role as executive director of Kerrville Pets Alive. “Ever since we had our first office, which was basically in a closet over where the new county offices are on Earl Garrett, we always needed a safe place where animals we pulled from Kerr County Animal Services could heal and decompress while we ready them for adoption.”
The organization also announced a leadership transition, with Brenda Hughes assuming the role of KPA! president after serving as a founding board member alongside Amy Underwood and others who attended the ceremony.
A multi-phase vision
The S.A.F.E. Campus, an acronym for Save Animals From Euthanasia, will be developed in multiple phases, with the initial phase focusing on essential infrastructure to support the organization’s rescue operations.
Phase one includes construction of administrative offices, a pet food pantry, and separate facilities for cats and dogs. The campus is designed to house approximately 12 animals at a time, serving as a transitional space where rescued animals can receive medical care and behavioral support before adoption.
“This is basically a support system for Kerr County Animal Services,” Guerriero explained. “Our animal shelter and animal control facility has to serve 55,000 residents and cover 1,100 square miles. They can’t do that by themselves.”
The county-funded animal services facility faces significant challenges in managing the needs of such a large geographic area, making partnerships with rescue organizations essential for reducing euthanasia rates and improving animal welfare outcomes.
Phase two plans include renovating an existing barn on the property to create a multi-purpose space for community clinics offering low-cost and free veterinary services. The organization’s ultimate goal is to establish a low-cost or free spay and neuter clinic at the rear of the property, addressing one of the root causes of pet overpopulation in the region.
Identifying a critical need
Kerrville Pets Alive’s response to the July 4 flood demonstrated the critical need for the type of comprehensive pet resource center the S.A.F.E. Campus will provide. During the disaster, KPA! assisted approximately 350 pets and their families, coordinating with search and rescue teams and volunteers from across the country.
“We were living what we were becoming during the flood for sure,” Guerriero said. “We served as a pet resource center for all of Kerr County. We had search and rescue teams there. We had horse teams there. We had people from all over the country who came and helped us get through that situation.”
The flood response crystallized the organization’s vision for the new facility. “We realized that’s exactly what we need for the community, a pet resource center,” Guerriero noted. “As we all know, Kerrville is a hub for all of Kerr County. And we want to be everything for pets right here at this property.”
Community support drives progress
The groundbreaking represents years of grassroots fundraising and community support. Before acquiring the new property, KPA! operated from a temporary facility near Schreiner University for more than two and a half years, moving approximately 1,000 pets through their programs during that time.
Mindy Wendele, president and CEO of the Kerrville Chamber of Commerce, welcomed the organization’s growth as a valuable addition to the community’s infrastructure. Chamber board chairman Mike Huff attended the ceremony alongside other board members to show support for the project.
Local architect Garrett Harmon designed the facility plans, which were displayed at the groundbreaking ceremony. The renderings show a campus layout optimized for animal care while providing space for community services and volunteer operations.
Funding for the property purchase and initial construction came from individual donors and foundations, including support from the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country. However, Guerriero emphasized that additional donations are needed to complete all planned phases of the project.
“Our work still continues. We still need a lot of donations to make that happen,” she said, while expressing gratitude for the support received so far. “We have donors here who have made this possible with the purchase of the property and just allowing us to breathe a little bit and realize that we do have some funding available to move forward.”
Volunteer network essential
to operations
The success of Kerrville Pets Alive relies heavily on its volunteer network, which Guerriero credits as the backbone of the organization’s operations. The volunteer team provides daily care for animals, assists with adoption events and supports the organization’s various programs.
“Everyone always tells me thank you for what you do. It’s not me, it’s our amazing team of volunteers,” Guerriero said during the ceremony, calling forward board members and volunteers to participate in the groundbreaking. “It’s a huge team effort.”
The new facility will provide volunteers with improved working conditions compared to the organization’s previous makeshift spaces, potentially expanding the volunteer base and increasing the organization’s capacity to save animals.
As construction begins on the S.A.F.E. Campus, Kerrville Pets Alive continues its daily operations of rescuing animals from the county shelter, providing medical care and behavioral rehabilitation, and facilitating adoptions. The new facility promises to enhance these efforts while expanding services to create what organizers envision as a comprehensive pet resource center serving all of Kerr County.
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