RSPCA Newbrook Farm in Birmingham contacted ACD Projects as they wished to refurbish their long-stay and short-stay dog wards, as well as convert an existing office into a dedicated rabbitry. The facilities had become dated and were no longer fully suited to the behavioural and welfare requirements of the animals in their care. Furthermore, the centre was increasingly seeing larger dogs come through the facility, meaning kennel sizes and layouts also needed to be reconsidered.
ACD was appointed to provide multidisciplinary design and project management services, from detailed layout development and technical drawings through to contractor coordination and onsite project management.
The client’s brief was aspirational, with the aim of increasing the number of walk-in kennels, improving separation, and reducing stress within the wards, while working within the constraints of the existing building. The team also wanted to remove rabbits from the busy cat ward and provide them with their own calmer space that would better support handling, treatment, and observation.
A number of specialist animal welfare considerations shaped the design. In the long-stay ward, kennel layouts were carefully arranged so dogs no longer faced one another directly, helping to minimise reactivity and noise. The short-stay ward incorporated a purpose-built crush cage, designed and fabricated in partnership with a specialist kennel manufacturer, giving staff a safe way to manage nervous or aggressive dogs for injections and routine procedures. In addition, a pop hatch between kennels in the short-stay ward allows dogs to be housed together when appropriate, or enables staff to clean one kennel while the dog remains safely in the other, reducing the need for unnecessary handling, which can be stressful for dogs, while also minimising risk to staff.
The completed project has transformed the dog wards into bright, clean, and highly functional spaces, with kennel sizes and layouts carefully tailored to a range of dog sizes and behavioural needs. The new rabbitry now offers a separate, quieter environment, with “condo” units incorporating pop holes to support social housing where appropriate. A dedicated treatment table and workstation for the veterinary team were also incorporated within this room. Throughout the project, ACD worked closely with the client and contractor team to coordinate the works and accommodate evolving operational requirements as the project progressed. As a result, both the centre team and the animals in their care now benefit from a calmer, more practical, and welfare-focused environment.