ORLANDO, Fla. — Adoptions are underway at Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando’s new cat shelter in downtown Orlando.

The animal welfare group opened the space on 777 West Central Blvd., a little more than a year after a fire decimated the group's shelter and clinic on Conroy Road. 

Officials say 71 cats and dogs were rescued, but smoke inhalation from the fire killed 17 cats.

“There are days you literally are like, ‘It cannot have been a year, that couldn’t have happened a year ago,’ ” said Pet Alliance Executive Director Steve Bardy. “Then other days you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, it feels like it was five years ago.’ ”

Bardy said rants and donations from the community made building the cat shelter a reality. The hope is for it to become an affordable cat clinic after the alliance builds a permanent shelter for dogs and cats to replace the one that burned down, he said.

Plans are underway to build that permanent shelter on John Young Parkway. Bardy said the organization hopes to break ground in April and expects the facility to open in 2024.