(light music) - Welcome to season 2 of "Animal Talk."

Today we're gonna tour the brand new Rhode Island SPCA here in the city of Warwick with Wayne Kerzirian, the president of the SPCA.

Welcome to season 2.

(light music continues) So here we are in the Cat Room.

As you can see, we're playing with some nautical-themed items with President Wayne Kerzirian of the SPCA.

- So Rescue Rebuild is a group that came in and helped us build out this portion of the shelter.

They are a charity that supports and does projects in shelters around the country.

In addition to just this area, this is the community cat area.

So we'll have three roaming cats in and around this area.

We have four separate catios for displaying cats.

We have another 24 cat kennels to show cats.

All have, you know, separate relaxation areas and then support areas.

And we are just so grateful.

This is a project that couldn't be put together at this scale without the help of several, and Rescue Rebuild was a major part.

So this is a 5,000 square-foot veterinary clinic that is open to the public.

We serve low-income clients.

We also take care of our own animals in this facility.

We currently have two full-time vets and eight techs, and we do low-cost spay and neuter for the public on Tuesdays.

And this is an active place.

So our friends at Rescue Rebuild helped us with this as well.

This is, we call it a respite room, but it is a safe space for counseling.

So if we have a situation where we're doing a hardship boarding for a family, which happens regularly when people with pets are evicted from their homes or in a domestic violence situation, and someone wants to remain in contact with their animal, they can come in through this separate entrance in the back, quietly and confidentially, and sit and spend time with their animal.

They can watch TV here.

They can just chill and relax.

- So it's like a home atmosphere.

Their pet is here and it gives them the opportunity to spend time with their pets.

And that's so important, because when you've had loss in your life and then you can't have your pet with you as well, at least you have an opportunity to come here.

And Rescue Rebuild did a beautiful job.

- Oh, they did a great job.

- It's very comfortable.

- And, you know, one of the things that makes the Rhode Island SPCA different from other organizations is that our mission is to care for and protect animals, but we're also the Rhode Island SBCA; so we are focused on the greater community as well.

So we work right at the intersection between the relationship of the animal and their humans.

- So I just wanted to make mention to you about a couple of things.

Dr. Fenocchio, who is no longer with us, I'm sure he is feeling amazed and watching over all of this happen.

What are your thoughts about him?

- Oh, I got involved in working with the Rhode Island SPCA because Dr. Fenocchio was my horse vet.

- [Karen] There you go.

There's always a story, right?

- A true Rhode Island classic story, warm heart, did so much to bring the Rhode Island SPCA from being purely a police agency into an agency that serves the entire community.

So our volunteer programs, our veterinary programs, our nascent education programs, all were pretty much started by Ernie.

- And it's amazing because now you just look at this facility and his legacy is gonna live on and through you and all of the work that you are all doing.

- We talk about him all the time.

But he was interested in kids, particularly interested in their relationship to animals and acquainting them with animals when they're young.

So his wife, Marie, was a major benefactor, and she has sponsored this education room that we are using.

- Which is right here behind us.

- And our kids, we happen to have a summer camp session going on now, but we'll use this room for afterschool reading programs with animals, for kitten kindergarten for people that just just adopted animals.

There's some talk that we're gonna have kitten yoga in this room, but I'm not so sure about that.

- Oh, that'll be fun.

Thank you so much for taking us on the tour today.

I know your grand opening is September 14th.

- It is.

- And I'm sure folks will be so excited to come and visit the new SPCA.

There is everything under one roof in this new location here in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Thank you again for your time.

- Oh, it's been my pleasure.

Thank you.

- [Karen] To watch more videos like this, visit ripbs.org/animaltalk.