Maximum Bliss at the Pound

Once he had an idea of what he wanted, he eschewed specialists in the growing niche of animal shelter design and went for a firm that planned solely with two-legged mammals in mind. They found Damon Ward, 33, an architect who designed such hip, urban projects as artists' lofts and skylit cafes. Ward was killed by an unknown gunman outside a U Street NW jazz club in February.

"All of this -- the care, the concern -- it's Damon's legacy," Haisley said, sweeping his hand toward the ceiling of the cat room, with whimsical paw prints embedded in the acoustic tiles.

The shelter borrows ideas from human institutions. Each doggy den has a purifier circulating fresh air every seven minutes.

The dens are made of stainless steel and tempered glass, opaque on the bottom so dogs see shadows, but clear on top so humans can see inside. Potential adopters can open the top half of the Dutch door for a pat and a lick.

Feline condos are made of sandstone Corian with beech accents. Each space has a separate toilet area. The carpet climbing structures are shaped like bonsai trees. A giant waterfall on one wall has terraced ledges, where cats perch and lap oxygenated water straight from the fountain.

Haisley leads a dozen tours of the facility a week, mostly for animal experts, veterinarians, psychologists and prison specialists.

Staff members say they have noticed a distinct improvement in the animals' behavior and health.

Gary Weitzman, the shelter's medical director, said that because of the calming music, fresh water and heated floors, abused and diseased animals heal faster. And kennel cough -- a highly contagious illness in dogs -- has dropped nearly 90 percent with fresh air being circulated into individual dens, he said.

The facility also seems to affect people who come looking for pets. Adoptions are up, said adoption manager Shelley Petrasek, who credits the visible amenities with making people feel good about adopting animals.

It worked for Aimee Coogan of Montgomery County, who steeled herself for noisy and depressing metal cages yesterday when she brought her son, Rory, to the league's space to look for a cat.

"This is a really beautiful place, and the animals seem so happy," she said, watching a herd of cats race past her feet.

Return visits from rescued pets and their owners are common enough. But, rare for a pound, it's becoming a popular spot for children's birthday parties.

The community room is open for cake and ice cream. After decorating doggie biscuits, the kids give their treats to the dogs.

Perhaps the best testament to the benefits of an extreme makeover is the story of Christiano, an ungainly terrier mix who was rescued from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina but languished in the shelter for a full year -- unfriendly, reclusive and undesirable.

Once the new shelter opened and the chimes played in his dog run and the water fountain trickled, Christiano started to unwind. He relaxed, wagged his tail and started approaching families looking for a pet. He found his match within days.

Happy in his new home, Christiano and his owner still return to the shelter for visits and a tiny dose of canine Zen.