KENNETT SQUARE, PA — Penn Vet has commenced construction on a $94 million veterinary diagnostic laboratory at its New Bolton Center, located near Kennett Square. This facility, covering 63,000 square feet, aims to consolidate two high-volume testing operations and enhance Pennsylvania’s animal disease surveillance, food safety responses, and horse racing oversight.
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The facility will incorporate the operations of the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) and the Pennsylvania Equine Toxicology Research Laboratory (PETRL), both of which have outgrown their current spaces. Last year, PADLS performed over 279,000 diagnostic tests but has been operating in fragmented spaces across the New Bolton Center campus. Meanwhile, PETRL processes about 30,000 samples a year from the state’s six racetracks, currently operating from leased space at West Chester University.
With construction anticipated to finish in 2028 and both laboratories set to move in by 2029, the design of the new facility is being managed by SMP Architects. This project is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, marking a substantial state-backed investment in Chester County’s agricultural and life-sciences infrastructure.
Andrew M. Hoffman, Dean of Penn Vet, emphasized that the integration of the diagnostic and toxicology teams will be beneficial, as they will work in facilities tailored to their diagnostic and research needs. Established in 1991, PADLS aims to protect animal and human health and mitigate losses from animal diseases. The New Bolton Center is one of four labs within the statewide system, along with other state and Penn State facilities.
Additionally, the New Bolton Center laboratory is part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network and holds accreditation from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. PETRL is recognized for its regulatory testing in Pennsylvania horse racing, analyzing samples to identify prohibited substances. It is the only U.S. facility accredited for gene doping tests and confirming blood-doping agents like erythropoietin (EPO) and darbepoetin (DPO). The laboratory also holds ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, as well as endorsements from the Racing Medication Testing Consortium and American Association for Laboratory Accreditation.
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding noted that this investment is aimed at enhancing the state’s capabilities in disease detection and response to animal health emergencies. The agricultural sector in Pennsylvania comprises more than 48,800 farms, contributing over $132 billion to the state's economy and supporting nearly 600,000 jobs, according to Penn Vet.