See inside the new Indianapolis Animal Care Services shelter
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The new shelter opens next week. Photo: Arika Herron/Axios
A new era is beginning for Indianapolis' animal shelter.
Why it matters: The city's overcrowded shelter will be retired this week as Indianapolis Animal Care Services — and the hundreds of pets in its care — moves into a brand new state-of-the-art facility.
The big picture: The new space is more than double the size of the 24,000-square-foot shelter on Harding Street, which is in a near-constant struggle with overcrowding.
- Years in the making, the more than $30 million project was funded in part by a $20 million bond approved by the city and a $7 million capital campaign from the Friends of Indy Animals.
What they're saying: The shelter was built "very intentionally" with the well-being of animals in mind, said IACS director Amanda Dehoney-Hinkle.
- "We're excited to see how their quality of life improves in this facility," she said.
Zoom in: In the lobby, large paw-shaped lights hang over a bright, open space with a dedicated spot for adopters to take family photos, a retail space and large windows looking out on the city's newest dog park.
- There's a walking trail around the property, which includes a barn, large pasture and pond for the more unusual animals that sometimes come to the shelter — pigs, goats, peacocks, etc.
- Each dog kennel includes two spaces, so dogs don't have to potty in the same area where they sleep. In many of those kennels, the second space is outside, giving the dogs access to fresh air and sunshine.
- Cats, too, have outdoor access with new "catios" connected to the free-roaming rooms, and individual enclosures have separate spaces for litter boxes.
Plus: There's a large hospital-grade medical suite with four surgical tables and a new x-ray machine — a major upgrade over the old shelter's medical space, which was akin to "a closet" — that Dehoney-Hinkle hopes will attract a full-time veterinarian to the staff.
- It includes a grooming suite and integrated cleaning tools, giving employees and volunteers more time to spend with the animals.
What's next: The new shelter, at 5001 E. Raymond St., opens to the public May 11.