For nearly 50 years a small building in the middle of a lot near Sunfair dry lake has served as the home to the Joshua Tree No-Kill Shelter (formerly the Morongo Basin Humane Society).

It’s the only private shelter in the Morongo Basin that focuses on finding homes for every dog and cat they rescue, and after decades of struggling with space and outdoor facilities, the shelter has broken ground on an expansion that will act as a more comfortable temporary home for pets as they await their permanent one.