Most days, my three-and-a-half-year-old can’t wait to show me her latest “work.” In the Montessori system, they call classroom projects works. When I walk through the front door, the rapid fire Daddy’s home, Daddy’s home, is followed by show and tell. Painted rocks, pasta shell necklaces, dance moves and new tricks or games Audrey’s discovered with Aidan, age 1.

In mid-September, I showed Audrey my latest work and I was just as excited as any kid could be. We took Audrey and Aidan to my organization’s new center. The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion (“Daddy’s work,” for short) opened to the public on September 10.

This state-of-the-art green facility at 1450 Rollins Road in Burlingame is our new home for adoptable animals. (Folks looking for lost pets or surrendering unwanted or stray animals will continue visiting our Coyote Point shelter at 12 Airport Blvd. in San Mateo.)

What will families notice first?

Upon entering our new Center, visitors will notice a lack of chain link kennels and cramped cages. They’ll see dog dorms on our first floor and cats looking cozy in their third floor condos. On our second floor, rabbits have the corner suite and are flanked, in separate rooms, by reptiles and pet birds. We’ve also featured work formerly hidden to the public. Now, visitors can watch volunteers care for kittens in our nursery; see our people tending to sick, injured or orphaned wildlife in a treatment room; and watch us work with shelter dogs in the Center’s most unique space: a room with artificial turf, a retractable ceiling and custom fountain (water comes out of five decorative dogs’ mouths!).

How much is that doggie in the window?

When I think of who is most impacted by our new digs, animals, staff and volunteers are at the top, but kids and families are right with them. Sadly, our Coyote Point shelter could be a scary or overwhelming place for little ones. Families would start at one end of a row of chain link kennels and often not make it half way down the aisle due to the barking. With the use of natural light, high ceilings, wonderful artwork, a beautifully designed building and our dog dorms and cat condos, we’ve transformed the adoption experience in our new Center.

Fun surprises around each corner

Anyone my age or older will recognize the biggest dog in our new center—he’s the biggest dog on the Peninsula. An incredibly talented friend of the Society—the owner of Buck’s Restaurant in Woodside, another great family spot—created a Doggie Diner head for us. Can’t miss him when you enter. Kids who visit on the weekend will get our custom and highly coveted “dig it!” dog stickers. And, around several corners and stairwell, you’ll see fun animal quotes and incredible photos (subjects are all shelter animals photographed by Amanda Bradshaw/Frolic Photography as a donation). The gift shop, Furchandise, is also a fun spot.

If you’re serious about adopting a pet…

We know many people are visiting just to see what the buzz is about, which is fantastic; word of advertising is the shelter animals’ best friend. Those families serious about adopting ask whether or not they should bring their kids. YES!

Bringing a new pet home and taking responsibility for the next five, ten, even 15 years is a family affair; our adoption counselors welcome the whole gang. We love animals and kids.

Prep work before your visit

If you are considering adopting a pet, but have never exposed your kids to animals, a visit to our new Center could be too much excitement. You may want to see what your kids are like around pets before your visit. A shorter visit with a friend’s or neighbor’s pet is a great place to start. Then, you’ll have an idea of what your kids are like around animals.

A new pet this holiday season?

Ask ten animal shelters across the country if holiday season adoptions are a good idea, and most, if not all, will say no. They’ll say the holidays are too hectic and that animals given as gifts will end up as returns, just like the ugly sweaters and ties.

The Peninsula Humane Society views this differently. We believe the holiday season can be the absolute best time for a family to adopt a new pet for a few reasons. For one, not all families like a hectic holiday season; some prefer quiet family time. Second, this time of year is when parents take vacation time and kids are out of school. Since it’s critical that a pet’s first few days in a new home are days with lots of supervision and bonding time, mid-December through the first few days of January can be the sweet-spot for adoptions.

For your visit…

The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s new Tom and Annette Lantos Center is open for adoptions every day except major holidays. Adoption hours are 11 am to 7 pm on weekdays and 11 am to 6 pm on weekends. Staff advise families to arrive at least an hour before closing to complete an adoption. Also, please note that our animal behavior experts and adoption counselors often advise as to which pets would make ideal pets for first-time owners and which would not be good matches with young children. This information—often listed in the animals’ description on our Web site—is based on direct observation, from knowledge of breeds and information given to us when animals are surrendered. For a sneak peek at many of our available pets, please visit www.PHS-SPCA.org.