A $75 Million Animal Shelter Opened in Queens. It's Already Overwhelmed.

A new animal shelter in Queens faced problems even before its opening in July. The shelter, costing $75 million, was expected to boost adoption rates with its state-of-the-art facilities. However, it was already struggling due to overcrowding. The 50,000 square-foot building designed for 72 dogs had to accommodate 77 dogs from a closed Brooklyn shelter. Disturbing photos showed dogs in small, dirty kennels with empty food and water dishes. Concerned, a councilman visited the shelter to assess the situation.