Humane Society Opens New Lantos Center

Even as a young girl forced to escape her native Hungary in the 1940s, Annette Lantos treasured the family dog.

Her father and grandparents lost their lives during her absence, but “amazingly, my little dog survived in the care of our old nurse,” she said Thursday at the opening of the new Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.“My little dog had helped all of us recover from so many losses we had to confront.”

The Society on Saturday will welcome the public to its new 57,000-square-foot facility named for Annette and her late husband, Congressman Tom Lantos -- longtime animal welfare advocates.

The Tom and Annette Lantos Center for Compassion can house 200 adoptable domestic animals while it rehabilitates up to 218 wildlife.

Its tenants can stretch out thanks to larger-than-average dog "dorms" and cat "condos."

“Thanks to humane societies, thousands and thousands of animals lost or abandoned each year find a safe haven where staff and volunteers care for them,” Lantos said. “When we talk about animal rescue…the Peninsula Humane Society under the leadership of Ken White has set new standards of excellence."

White said that he was "just jazzed to be here."

Raodblocks delayed construction of the new building. And , claimed the group had mismanaged funds. White joked that when people ask how long construction on the center took, he planned to reply in dog years.

The center "has been built to save the lives of dogs, cats, guinea pigs, iguanas, rabbits, hawks, owls, hummingbirds, snakes, you name it,” he said. “All species great and small will find temporary residence here until they get to go home to new families or get to be released to the wild where they belong.”

The facility holds an indoor exercise area, kitty nursery, and retail store.

It is located at 1450 Rollins Rd. in Burlingame. The spay/neuter clinic and stray animal services remain at the Coyote Point PHS location.