The Montgomery County SPCA is seeking zoning relief for the property at 1450 Union Meeting Road in Blue Bell (Whitpain Township). The zoning application seeks a special exception from the township’s zoning hearing board to allow an animal shelter and veterinary clinic within the AR-Administrative Research Zoning District. The application will be heard by the zoning hearing board on Thursday, July 17 at 7:00pm at the township building.
In the application, it is stated that the Montgomery County SPCA was established in 1909 and currently has three locations in Conshohocken (Whitemarsh Township), Abington, and Perkiomenville, with Conshohocken serving as its headquarters.
The Conshohocken location is referred to in the application as “outdated and undersized,” and a new state-of-the-art facility is needed. The Union Hill property comprises five acres and features an existing building that is approximately 35,000 square feet. The new headquarters would include an animal shelter and veterinary clinic, as well as a pet resource center, adoption space, intake area, and public classrooms.
The application also includes details about the recent scandal involving the Montgomery County SPCA, driven by a multi-part exposé in The Philadelphia Inquirer about the conditions of the Conshohocken facility and how the organization was managed. This led to the retirement of the organization’s longtime leader, a revamped board, and the appointment of new leadership.
The AR-Administrative Research Zoning District offers a “philanthropic use” as a special exception (meaning that the zoning hearing board has to determine that the proposed use meets that definition). The Montgomery County SPCA is a non-profit organization.
It is not stated what will happen to the Conshohocken facility if the special exception is granted. The application does offer that the Conshohocken facility is currently being updated “in parallel with long-term facilities planning.” The timeline to open the new facility is also not addressed in the application.
You can view the full application here.
In May, the SPCA released a “Six-Month Progress Report” on the facilities’ changes following The Inquirer’s expose. An excerpt:
We have focused considerable effort on increasing our lifesaving capacity and refining protocols and safeguards around euthanasia, one of the most profound issues covered by the Inquirer. We understand that we play an important role as an “open” shelter — meaning we don’t turn animals away due to aggression, attack histories, or insurmountable medical needs — but we wholeheartedly believe humane euthanasia should always be the last resort.
As pet owners and animal lovers, we know personally the heartache of end-of-life decisions. Humane euthanasia is strictly reserved for cases where animals are suffering from irreparable medical or behavioral issues that compromise their quality of life or the safety of the public in ways that prevent rehoming. Each of these decisions is closely overseen and approved by multiple animal welfare professionals. Over the last five months, we have achieved and maintained a lifesaving or “live exit” success rate of 90% or better. We’re proud that our current lifesaving rate puts us on par with shelters that identify as “no-kill.”
In April, Representative Melissa Cerrato provided insights following a personal visit. You can read her debriefing here.
In related news, the SPCA’s Abington location at 1006 Edge Hill Road is listed as “Temporarily Closed” on their website. In November 2024, the branch closed until March reportedly due to a black mold infestation throughout the building.
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Images – Rendering of new facility from Montgomery County SPCA’s application