Want to adopt a pet? Indianapolis opens new animal shelter

Indianapolis opened a new animal shelter on Raymond Street this Monday, replacing its longtime location on South Harding Street. The Indianapolis Animal Care Services facility on the city’s near southeast side was built after construction began in June 2024 and cost more than $37 million. City officials say the new building is more than twice the size of the old shelter, which had long run at or near capacity, and the former site was closed on May 4 to allow the move. The upgraded facility adds medical and comfort upgrades for animals and staff. It includes an on-site veterinarian, both indoor and outdoor kennels, a much larger lobby with skylights and seating, and dedicated work spaces such as on-site laundry, men’s and women’s locker rooms, and bathing areas for animal care. City staff and volunteers should find day-to-day operations easier in the new space, and officials say the improvements will also make visiting the shelter a better experience for the public and, most importantly, for the animals in their care. During the transition, the shelter ran several adoption events to lower the number of animals that needed to be moved. Residents who cannot keep a pet may surrender animals to the shelter, and animal control officers will continue sending any detained animals to the new facility. Even while the previous location was closed to the public, animal control staff continued processing animals into the system. People interested in adopting can visit the shelter daily; adoptions are handled from noon to 7 p.m., with kennel walk-throughs available from noon until 5 p.m. The shelter also works with Rehome by Adopt-a-pet.com to promote dogs and cats that aren’t housed on site. At the time of the opening, IACS listed more than 170 pets available for adoption. Those who want to help senior and other shelter animals can visit the new Raymond Street location during adoption hours, consider adopting or fostering a pet, or look for animals promoted through the shelter’s Rehome partnership.