Indianapolis animal shelter waives adoption fees

Have you thought about adding a four legged friend to your family? There is no other moment than the present.

Indianapolis Animal Care Services makes all adoptions free as they are out of space at their shelter on the south side, located at 2600 S. Harding St.

“We’re almost out of space,” spokeswoman Brandi Pahl said. “We have too many animals in our care. We have temporary kennels set up in our hallways, so we are looking for people to come in for adoption so that we can open other kennels for the animals that continue to enter.”

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While the group usually doesn’t euthanize to free up space, Pahl said, sometimes they have to “make tough decisions.”

They are having a special adoption event on Saturday at their Harding Street shelter from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Community members are encouraged to come and adopt a furry friend.

All adoptable pets are microchipped, neutered, or neutered and have “age-appropriate vaccines,” Pahl said.

“We really hope we can open cages, open kennels so that we don’t get to the point where we have to make these tough decisions,” Pahl said.

Pahl said the shelter typically experiences an increase in animal numbers during the summer, from stray animals to people abandoning their pets.

Walk-in adoptions will take place during business hours, which are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. You can also go to their website, which will show most of the agency’s adoptable animals and is updated frequently, Pahl said.

If you can’t permanently adopt a pet, Pahl said the shelter is always looking for people willing to take in dogs or cats, even if it’s only for a few weeks.

“The further the animal (is) outside of the shelter, the better it is for him, so he’s less stressed,” Pahl said. “It also helps us learn more about their personalities – how they behave in certain types of homes – so it helps us identify the best family type for them.”

You can apply to host an animal here: indy.gov/activity/apply-to-foster-an-animal.

The group is also always looking for volunteers for a wide range of tasks, from walking dogs to photographing animals to laundry, said Pahl.

You can register to volunteer here: indy.gov/activity/become-an-animal-care-volunteer.

Contact Claire Rafford, IndyStar Pulliam Fellow, at [email protected] or on Twitter @clairerafford.