Rapid growth across Baldwin County doesn't just mean more residents who are human.

It also means an influx of furry friends in need of adequate resources and health care, which Langston Animal Hospital is planning to provide with its new 12,384-square-foot veterinary hospital building in development.

Gulf Shores Planning Commission recently approved plans for the 4.55-acre site along the west side of Hwy. 59 set to house 30-plus staff members, more than a dozen treatment rooms, multiple surgery rooms, intensive care, kennels, a pharmacy and more. The site's access point will be a single driveway to Hwy. 59, with 64 parking spaces proposed along the front and northern parts of the building, three of which will be handicap accessible spaces.

Dr. Adam Langston, who opened the clinic with his wife, Dr. Niesje Langston, has been providing veterinary care on the Alabama Gulf Coast since 2006 — most known for his diagnostic abilities, surgical skill and management of complex medical situations. Langston Animal Hospital offers a long list of in-house comprehensive services, including radiology, abdominal and thoracic ultrasound and surgical procedures, among others, alongside many routine services, such as dentistry, examinations, vaccines, boarding and more. Current operations take place at 6642 AL-59 in Gulf Shores, just down the street from its new upcoming site.

"Langston Animal Hospital is a custom-designed, state of the art facility located in the heart of the Alabama Gulf Coast," Langston's website states. "We are utilizing the latest technology and diagnostic tools, which enable us to provide a wide range of services in house to ensure your pet receives the highest quality care available. The clinic has an entirely digital medical record and scheduling system, which allows us to provide fast, efficient communication to all of our clients."

On Monday, April 22, Gulf Shores also approved an ALDOT Cooperative Maintenance Agreement for a new sidewalk along Hwy. 59's west right-of-way at the new hospital, as city zoning ordinances require the developer to construct approximately 300 linear foot of 8-foot sidewalk within the Hwy. 59 right-of-way (carrying a one-year warranty via the developer from the time of construction).