The upgraded Indianapolis animal shelter opened for business Monday in its new facility on Raymond Street.
The Indianapolis Animal Care Services facility, located on the city’s near southeast side, is more than double the size of the previous shelter. More than $37 million was spent to improve the shelter’s ability to serve the city’s animals, city officials said.
The new facility includes an in-house veterinarian and indoor and outdoor kennels.
For employees and volunteers, the facility has a much larger lobby with skylights and a seating area. There is dedicated spaces for on-site laundry, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and bathing areas.
Dawn Olsen, a communications officer for the city, says the facility is a much-needed upgrade for the city.
"It's going to be a better experience for people to visit,” said Olsen. “It's going to be better for staff and volunteers, and most importantly, it's going to be better for the animals as well."
City residents can surrender pets they are unable to care for at the shelter. Animal control officers can also send any animals they’ve detained to the new facility.
Animals can be adopted at the shelter from 12 to 7 p.m. daily. Kennel walk-throughs are available 12 to 5 p.m. daily. The shelter partners with Rehome by Adopt-a-pet.com to promote animals available for adoption that are not in the facility.
IACS lists over 170 pets presently available for adoption.
Construction on the new animal shelter began in June of 2024. The previous shelter on South Harding Street was near or at capacity for years.
Indianapolis Animal Care Services previously closed its former location on May 4.
The shelter hosted several adoption events to try to reduce the number of animals they needed to transition to the new facility. Even during the shelter's closure to the public, animal control officers were still processing animals.
Contact WFYI Digital Producer and Reporter Jeremy Reuben at jreuben@wfyi.org.
