For more than a decade, Philadoptables has believed in one simple truth:
when you give animals the space, care, and compassion they deserve, their lives change.
This year, that belief comes full circle.
Philadoptables is proud to announce its $10,000 contribution as a Guardian-level sponsor of ACCT Philly’s Outdoor Dog Play Yard Project — a transformative initiative that will create safer, healthier, and more enriching environments for thousands of shelter dogs every year.
And for us, this moment carries special meaning.
A Full-Circle Moment for Philadelphia’s Dogs
In 2012, Philadoptables funded and built three shelter dog play yards and a pavilion at ACCT Philly. . At the time, the need was urgent: shelter dogs had little access to outdoor space, minimal opportunity for socialization, and few ways to relieve stress in a healthy, structured environment.
Fast forward to today — and the vision is bigger, smarter, and more impactful than ever.
ACCT Philly, the city’s only open-intake animal shelter, serves animals who often arrive in crisis: surrendered, lost, abandoned, injured, or recovering from trauma. While many improvements have been made to the facility over the years, outdoor enrichment space remained one of the shelter’s most critical needs, particularly for dogs in isolation who previously had no dedicated fenced outdoor areas.
That is now changing.
What the New Play Yard Project Includes
In partnership with Animal Arts, the nation’s leading shelter design firm, ACCT Philly is undergoing a major expansion and renovation of its outdoor dog spaces. This project will include:
- 🐕 Four brand-new play yards
- 🛠 Renovation of existing outdoor areas
- 🌱 Installation of specialized K9 Grass for safety and durability
- 🔒 Upgraded fencing
- 🌤 Shaded spaces designed for comfort and safe playgroups
These thoughtfully designed spaces will support improved behavior, safer socialization, and stronger adoption outcomes for shelter dogs.
Why These Yards Matter
Outdoor play yards do far more than provide exercise.
They give dogs the ability to:
A. Walk, run, explore, and release stress
B. Co-mingle safely and assess compatibility with other dogs
C. Interact with potential adopters off-leash in a natural environment
These moments are essential for building confidence, reducing anxiety, improving behavior, and helping each dog put their best paw forward when meeting their future family.
Simply put:
these yards save lives.
Honored to Help Move This Project Forward
With the project now fully funded and nearing completion, Philadoptables is proud to have played a key role in bringing this vision to life — delivering meaningful, long-term benefits for shelter dogs and the compassionate teams who support them.
“This is a full-circle moment for us,” the Philadoptables team shared.
“In 2012, Philadoptables funded and built three shelter dog play yards and a pavilion at ACCT Philly. Today, we are honored to continue that legacy and invest in a future where every shelter dog has the space they need to heal, thrive, and find a home.”
While Philadoptables is not formally partnering with ACCT Philly on this project, we are deeply proud to contribute to this critical effort — and to stand alongside many other sponsors and supporters who understand that every investment, large or small, changes lives.
Building a More Compassionate Future — Together
This project represents everything Philadoptables stands for: compassion, collaboration, and commitment to animals who need us most.
Together, with ACCT Philly and the broader Philadelphia animal welfare community, we are building a stronger, kinder future —
one yard, one dog, one life at a time.
