INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Animal Care Services is getting a new forever home on the near east side.
Indianapolis and non-profits are investing more than $20 million into the new facility. It will replace IACS’s current location. The new facility will focus on improved ventilation, building proper kennels, and creating a dedicated medical space.
All of these improvement should make the facility more comfortable for the animals.
“A lot of the design of this building will be moving animals around the building more quickly and more humanely because if they’re comfortable, they’re going to be more adoptable and that will allow us to help more animals,” said Katie Trennepohl, deputy director for IACS.
The city’s portion of the funding is part of the ongoing Circle City Forward initiative. In 2021, the city committed $18 million towards a facility for Animal Care Services, Even with that investment there was a funding gap.
On Wednesday, Mayor Joe Hogsett and IACS joined representatives from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust and the Friends of Indy Animals to announce a $3 million dollar gift to be used for the construction of a new animal care facility.
“For over thirty years, Indianapolis Animal Care Services has been located in a building not originally intended to be a full-care animal shelter,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Thanks to Circle City Forward funding, and the generosity of donors, we are looking forward to a long-overdue update. This donation from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust will provide significant help towards bringing that improvement to fruition.”
Predevelopment work is currently underway at the new site. Additional environmental remediation is expected before a groundbreaking for the new facility can take place.