INDIANAPOLIS — A drive to raise money for a new animal shelter is closing in on its $7 million goal, officials said Thursday.
Friends of Indy Animals is $300,000 short of the money it pledged to raise to help build a new shelter for the city's lost, stray and unwanted pets, Indianapolis Animal Care Services announced on social media sites.
The city’s three-decade-old animal shelter on South Harding Street was never meant to house dogs and cats for long periods of time.
"It’s outdated and cramped — built for a time when most animals were held for a couple of days before being put down," Friends of Indy Animals said on their website.
The old shelter is often so full that animals are kept in crates in the hallways.
Plans to build a new animal shelter have been delayed for years. WRTV Investigates reported in August that a proposed new shelter on the site of the former RCA Plant stalled after requests for federal funding were never approved.
Last month, Mayor Joe Hogsett announced a new plan to build a shelter on the southeast side at the former Clearstream property, 5001 E. Raymond St.
"This new site will bring a community resource to a vacant lot while serving Indy zip codes with some of the highest animal care needs in the city," Hogsett said.
The new shelter will be paid for by a $19 million bond approved by the City-County Council. Friends of Indy Animals is raising a large chunk of the money.
The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Lilly Endowment Inc., the Indianapolis Colts and Irsay family are among more than 80 people, foundations, and corporations who have donated to the shelter fund, officials said.
You can donate to the campaign here.
More: Indianapolis consultant to study city's animal welfare crisis | $1M grant moves new animal shelter closer to reality after delays | Hogsett announces plans for new IACS shelter location, plans at Sherman Park fall through
Photo gallery: A look at the animals housed at Indianapolis Animal Care Services
