The city of Sugar Land will host an open house event and ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 12 to celebrate the newly expanded animal shelter at 101 Gillingham Lane. A professional company relocated a 2,400-square-foot building from Mayfield Park to the current animal services site in March, said Doug Adolph, Sugar Land assistant director of communications. The building was formerly leased by nonprofit community organization BakerRipley, formerly known as Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Staff, volunteers and contractors installed new equipment, flooring, paint and walls to transform the building to house cats and kittens, according to a city news release. The added facility will also include a veterinarian room, break room and managerial office. The expansion also includes space for a wildlife room to house animals until they are adopted or taken to wildlife rehabilitation, Adolph said. The existing 4,300-square-foot shelter will house dogs and puppies, according to the news release. It currently houses 24 dogs and 35 cats, and the additional space will allow for 62 dogs and 112 cats in total. The 2015 Facility Master Plan identified the existing animal shelter exceeded its design capacity and lacked the necessary space to accommodate the expected growth with the annexation of Greatwood and New Territory, Adolph said. This expansion project is budgeted at $150,000 and will meet the city’s growing needs until a new facility may be designed and constructed, he said. “The addition expands the shelter’s floor space by 56 percent to accommodate an anticipated 30 percent increase in demand, ensuring the animal shelter is ready to serve the newly annexed residents of Greatwood and New Territory on Dec. 12,” the news release stated.