ZooMontana Animal Health Center

Shannon Christensen, Cushing Terrell’s Billings office location director and principal, joined the ZooMontana capital campaign committee in the summer of 2022, dedicating her time as a community connector and sounding board while meeting with donors in preparation for the public launch of the Wild & Well campaign.

As the silent phase of the campaign progressed, ZooMontana’s leadership engaged the Cushing Terrell design team to create a conceptual design for the campaign’s key initiative, a 3,650 sq. ft. Animal Health Center. The building will feature state-of-the-art exam rooms, surgical spaces, recovery areas, specialized equipment, and classroom spaces.

ZooMontana’s Animal Health Center will provide the highest standard of care for its resident animals, providing top-tier medical care on-site, with resident veterinary staff. The new facility will increase efficiency, reduce stress for the animals, and eliminate the need to transport them for off-site care.

The building will also play an essential role in ZooMontana’s educational programs. It will serve as a hub for local colleges and schools, offering students hands-on learning opportunities and a chance to work with animals in a real-world setting. Public viewing spaces will allow visitors and students to learn more about the care that goes into keeping ZooMontana’s animals healthy, with procedures ranging from preventive health exams to surgeries.

Ultimately, the clinic has been carefully designed with both functionality and animal well-being in mind. The important work performed inside takes center stage with an exterior material palette that complements the intended clinical, educational, and visitor programming.

“We’ve designed a space that not only meets the needs of today’s Zoo but prepares us for the future. The clinic will be able to accommodate the growing number of animals at ZooMontana, while ensuring their comfort and reducing the stress of medical procedures.”

Shannon Christensen, Cushing Terrell