A good shelter will be flexible. The one I volunteer at can go from 100-300 cats over the course of a couople months, and back down. Because of this they have found themselves putting cats everywhere possible. One great idea is a communial cat room. You can fit 20 cats with no cages into a room much easier then 20 cats in individual cages in a room. These rooms need little more than a couch, a few cat toys, water and food, and lots of toys. They are much more attractive then the rooms filled with cages as well. Some sort of double door would be smart because a single makes it easier for cats to get loose.
One thing I saw at our animal control is cages that can be doubled in size simply by openning a door to a neighboring cage. This gives the dog much more room, and can make it much easier to clean the cage. Thionk about cage cleaning when you design the dog areas. Sometimes you have to do it a few times a day and if not well designed can take a lot of time. Is there someway to work water to each run so people do not have to haul around heavy water bottles?
Think about the future of shelters using technology more wisely. Personally I am starting ona web based system that will much more appealing to visitors, staff, and volunteers. I had planned to put webcams above every run so you can get a live video of each dog, instead of the standard picture.
Do not forget about confinement areas. Most shelters need areas completely removed from the general population for containment. Some afre simply new animals that have not been tested yet, and some need to be completely contained, like those with ringworm. A dedicated room for euthanasia is very important. This room should be removed from the rest of the complex so it can be relaxing and calming for everyone involved. A lot of shelters do euthanasia for community people who want to be there when their pet is put down. W/out this room it is impossible and makes everyone life more stressful.
Hope this helps
