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Mayor Joe Hogsett outside the current IACS location. (Photo: City of Indianapolis)
The city announced the selection of a new site for Indianapolis’s animal shelter, after a previous location required more environmental clean-up.
The new Indianapolis Animal Care Services shelter was originally planned for Sherman Park. The site on the Near Eastside is targeted for redevelopment, but more remediation was needed, impacting costs.
“With a new location, we are able to accelerate progress on a new facility while continuing our remediation and development commitments on the Near Eastside,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett in a statement.
The alternate site is now located on the southeast side of the city. The lot is owned by the Indianapolis Housing Agency and has been vacant for decades. The city says the shelter will be located in a zip code that has a greater number of animal control runs.
Issues at the city’s animal shelter have been highlighted during this year’s mayoral campaign. Republican candidate Jefferson Shreve said he would donate his salary to the group Friends of Indy Animals if elected as mayor. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said he would work better with local animal nonprofits.
The city has already allocated $19 million for the new facility. Other large gifts have provided $4 million dollars, and a Friends of Indy Animals campaign has raised $6.7 million. The Indianapolis Colts and the Irsay family also donated $1 million.
The city will send out another request for development proposals for Sherman Park.
Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.
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