NEW HOME FOR HOMELESS ANIMALS: SAVE has raised $1.7 million of the $3 million it needs to build a new shelter in Blawenburg alongside the existing James Van Zandt house, which was donated to the organization. The rendering shown here of the new 8,200-square-foot shelter, designed by Max Hayden, will house 75 cats and 25 dogs and include rooms for exercise, health and welfare services, and for prospective owners to bond with potential adoptees.

For 42 years, stray cats and dogs have found temporary homes at SAVE, a shelter sandwiched into a three-acre site on Herrontown Road. This haven for homeless canines and felines has long been too cramped for its purposes. After years in the planning, a $3 million campaign is now underway to build a new facility on the grounds of a former mansion in Blawenburg. The stately Victorian James Van Zandt House was donated to the organization by Brad and Cheryl Mills, who bought it from the State of New Jersey for $25,000.

The 1860 brick building is currently being renovated to house the offices of SAVE on one floor, and a foundation run by Brad Mills on the second. An 8,200-square-foot modern shelter is planned for the 12-acre site, with plenty of room for 25 dogs and 75 cats to await adoption. SAVE is scheduled to move its offices into the historic house next fall; the new facility is targeted for opening in the fall of 2013.

“This shelter, after 70 years of use, is crumbling,” said Piper Burrows, the Executive Director of SAVE, during a recent tour of the existing facility. “It’s just no longer adequate for our animals, the volunteers who care for them, and our visitors. Our animals deserve to be in a more comfortable environment. Because if dogs and cats are happy, then they are more likely to be adopted by people who will love them.”

While obviously well cared for, the animals currently housed at SAVE co-exist in tight quarters. A few cats who can’t handle the close proximity are isolated from the other animals, crated in offices and other quiet areas throughout the site. An army of dedicated volunteers interact with the animals and make sure they are exercised. But space is clearly at a premium.

The new facility will have lots of room for dog and cat runs. Animal health and welfare services will be offered on a larger scale than what is currently available. Neutering will be done on site. Families visiting animals they are considering for adoption will be able to get acquainted in dedicated “quiet rooms.” There will be space for dog training and orientation classes for staff, volunteers, and the public. The dogs can be exercised on the grounds, which will include a rain garden, walking trails, and a pet memorial area.

“Ultimately, we want to become a model shelter for the State of New Jersey,” said Ms. Burrows. “We’re not only building a new facility, we’re salvaging a historic building and putting it to good use.”

Princeton architect Max Hayden is designing the new space and the renovation of the existing Van Zandt house. The exterior work, much of which was done by Hopewell craftsman Don Twomey is complete. “We’re restoring the building to its original appearance,” Mr. Hayden said. “This is a great example of Italianate architecture. It could have been from a pattern book, but it has really lovely detailing and is surprisingly intact on the exterior. There really isn’t any building like it in the area.”

The history of SAVE dates from 1941, when veterinarian Cornelia Jaynes and her friend Emily Myrick created the Small Animal Veterinary Endowment to rescue strays. They were sheltered on Dr. Jaynes’s farm, which she bequeathed to the cause. After her death in 1969, SAVE merged with the Small Animal Rescue League. Together, they built the current shelter. SAVE merged with another organization, the Friends of Homeless Animals, six years ago. The goal is to reduce animal overpopulation and the euthanasia of animals that are treatable and adoptable.

The future of the current property is not yet clear. “SAVE’s current property is part of a trust agreement that was established by our founder, Dr. Cornelia Jaynes,” Ms. Burrows said in an email. “SAVE may use the property in perpetuity so long as the shelter is in existence. When we move to Montgomery Township, we are not certain as to what will happen with the land. At some point, it is possible that the land will be sold.”

When the new facility opens, SAVE will partner with Montgomery Township Animal Control, said Ms. Burrows. “If they become overloaded, we can help them by taking on some of their animals,” she said. “We’re also forging a partnership with Montgomery Township High School.”

SAVE currently works with eight schools in Mercer County, most in under-served communities. The organization’s Partners in Empathy Training Program will be offered at the new location.

Ms. Burrows comes from a family of animal lovers who wouldn’t have dreamed of obtaining an animal from a breeder or puppy mill. “We always got animals from shelters,” she recalled. “I developed my passion for this as a kid. And I get more satisfaction out of matching people with dogs and cats than you can imagine.”

SAVE has raised $1.7 million of its $3 million goal so far. The organization’s annual fundraiser, “Welcome to the Jungle,” is scheduled for April 28 at Princeton Airport. “What’s nice about this campaign is it’s all-inclusive,” Ms. Burrows said. “People can name a brick for $250 or go all the way up to $1 million for a building. It’s a community-wide effort with a goal of helping as many animals as we can.”