Potomac — The Montgomery County Partners for Animal Well-being (McPaw) is looking for creative and artistic visionaries who love animals — and who want to become a part of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — the McPaw Pet Showcase Design Challenge.

The challenge is to design a showcase room for a cat or dog — an attractive and comfortable room to serve as a visitation area and to house pets temporarily while they wait to be chosen for forever homes. There will be 11 such rooms in the new Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center. The rooms will be 7 feet by 10 feet with 9-foot ceilings and made of block walls with two or three floor-to-ceiling windows.

Imagine the most wonderful setting for a dog or cat, then design it, then make it happen. There are no limitations. Consider any theme — perhaps a Charlie Brown room centered around the quotation “Happiness is a warm puppy.” The room might even include a real dog house where the puppy can rest and relax. Or design a Jungle Room with carpeted trees and branches for kittens and cats to climb and play on — and painted foliage with a mouse lurking underneath.

The designer or design team should plan everything from paint, pet furniture and toys to items hanging from the ceiling and window decals. They should include sleeping and feeding areas. Cats will need litter boxes and vertical spaces such as cat trees or blocks on the walls to climb on. Dogs should have plastic play sets and a dog bed to sleep in.

The application, design specifications and finances for the MCPAW Pet Showcase Design Challenge are available at www.mcpaw.org/contest. The deadline is July 31 to submit the application with the design concept: layout drawing, elements to be included in the room, textiles/materials and cost estimate. The Challenge is open to interior designers as well as any creative individuals or groups who are interested in helping animals (schools, businesses, rescue organizations, community groups, etc.)

“This Design Challenge is a great opportunity for the community to get involved with the new Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center,” said MCPAW Chairman of the Board Allan Cohen. “It gives residents a chance to personally make the Center an attractive environment to showcase adoptable animals.”

Colleen Fishter, coordinator of the Challenge, explained that after the designs are submitted, a panel of McPaw judges will evaluate them and select the winners. “Each of the 11 winning design teams will have their name displayed with a plaque on their showcase. They will also be recognized on the MCPAW Facebook page and website. At the Adoption Center’s Grand Opening, the public will vote for their favorite showcase, choosing one Grand Champion for the cat rooms and one for the dog rooms. The Grand Champions will be announced at a later date and they will receive their design team name on an 8 inch by 8 inch brick permanently displayed at the building’s entrance.”

The new Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center, located at the northwest corner of the intersection of Muncaster Mill Road and Airpark Drive is expected to open in late November 2013.

To learn more about McPaw, to donate or to enter the challenge, go to the website at www.mcpaw.org. For more information about the McPaw Pet Showcase Design Challenge, e-mail mcpawcontest@gmail.com.