Animal Defense League of Texas Expands Nacogdoches Campus with $7.5M Clinic to Save More Lives in San Antonio
The Animal Defense League of Texas (ADL), San Antonio’s oldest no-kill shelter, is making a significant investment in the future of animal welfare in Bexar County. A $7.5 million expansion is officially set to break ground on February 3, 2026, at the ADL’s Nacogdoches Campus, bringing a state-of-the-art new veterinary clinic and maintenance building to the northeast San Antonio facility.
The privately funded project will add 8,500 square feet of new construction to the campus at 11300 Nacogdoches Rd, San Antonio, TX 78217, further supporting ADL’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome homeless dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens throughout the region. According to official permit filings, the development includes a 6,800-square-foot clinic expansion and a 1,700-square-foot maintenance building, along with associated upgrades to parking, sidewalks, and site access.
This growth comes at a time when ADL’s impact continues to expand. In 2024 alone, ADL reported 6,329 total adoptions, including 2,664 kittens, 1,571 puppies, 1,106 dogs, and 988 cats. The organization also provided 1,559 total surgeries, with more than 4,900 spay/neuter procedures performed, including for community cats. More than 6,300 lives were saved with an impressive 96% live release rate.
Founded in 1934 out of the original Child Protective & Humane Society (established in 1923), ADL has grown from a small-scale effort to a comprehensive animal welfare leader, operating out of its 12-acre main campus on Nacogdoches Road and a second facility, the Paul Jolly Center for Pet Adoptions near the San Antonio Zoo.
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The Nacogdoches Campus has long served as ADL’s central hub, housing an adoption center, cattery complex, educational center, and a two-acre pet park, along with multiple kennels built in partnership with the City of San Antonio. The expansion of the veterinary clinic is especially timely, given the growing medical needs of the thousands of animals ADL rescues and rehabilitates annually.
The existing on-site hospital already provides spay/neuter surgeries, microchipping, vaccines, and complex medical care. The new clinic will allow the team to serve even more pets in need—including those arriving from some of San Antonio’s most underserved neighborhoods. ADL is also known for its free mobile wellness clinics, which bring critical veterinary services to communities that may not otherwise have access.
Behind the scenes, the work of the ADL is powered by an army of dedicated volunteers—1,721 individuals who logged more than 138,000 hours in 2024—and a robust foster network that cared for 1,796 pets. Together, they help ensure that pets in need receive the love, care, and second chances they deserve.
The expansion project is expected to be completed by February 2027.
As a nonprofit supported through donations, grants, adoption fees, and special events—not taxpayer dollars—the Animal Defense League of Texas continues to rely on the compassion of the community. Whether it’s by adopting, fostering, donating, or volunteering, San Antonians play a vital role in ADL’s lifesaving mission.
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For more information about ADL programs, hours, and adoptable pets, visit adltexas.org or stop by one of their two campuses:
Nacogdoches Campus (Main Campus)
- Location: 11300 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio, TX 78217
- Shelter Hours: Daily, 12–7 PM (Adoptions until 6:30 PM)
- Phone: 210-655-1481
Paul Jolly Campus
- Location: 210 Tuleta Dr., San Antonio, TX 78212 (across from the San Antonio Zoo)
- Shelter Hours: Daily, 12–7 PM (Adoptions until 6:30 PM)
As the Animal Defense League of Texas prepares to break ground on this major expansion, the project marks a powerful step forward in the organization’s mission to give every pet a second chance and a safe place to call home.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.