EXCITING NEWS FOR 2025!!!
Help Build the 2025 Iowa City Animal Center Addition
About the Addition
Exciting news! Thanks to donors like you, we are able to help the Iowa City Animal Center with a major project! A 1,500 square foot addition to the building! We have been quietly working on this project and are excited to announce that we are ready to start moving forward. We hope you will support us in this exciting venture and be a part of history!
This addition will be located on the south side of the Animal Center. It will be used primarily as a dog training space, but it can be easily converted into overflow space for sick or contagious animals, animal hoarding cases and puppy mill rescue missions. In September of 2023, the Animal Center rescued 131 puppy mill dogs and had very few open kennels for those dogs. Donations covered rent costs for a warehouse, but it was less than ideal for the dogs. This addition will create a much safer environment for rescue emergencies.
This project isn’t your average addition! Our first challenge is that government building standards necessitate additional expenses, compliant building codes, specialized equipment and materials. As with any Government project, this will go through a bidding process and the lowest responsible bid will be accepted. Once we meet the requirements listed above, the addition involves extensive utility work, including relocating the sewer, gas, electric, and water lines for the entire building. We must also install a new animal care specific HVAC system, as the current system cannot support the increased capacity. The new room will also feature specialized equipment for sanitization, cleaning, and drainage, ensuring the space remains safe and hygienic. While these essential components have a substantial impact on the overall cost, they are vital for creating an environment that supports the well-being of the animals we serve. We cannot thank you enough for providing the animals with a safe and caring environment while they await their forever home.
Our hope is to break ground this year! Summer of 2025
This room will be very beneficial, even when the shelter has space for more animals.
It can serve as a training space for dogs, offering a distraction-free environment suitable for off-leash activities.
Additionally, it can function as a quarantine area with its own air exchange system, facilitating sanitation with a dedicated cleaning system and drain. In 2024, the shelter faced a significant number of cats with ringworm, lacking safe placement options. Although some were in foster care, accommodating ringworm cases was challenging due to the contagious nature of the fungus.
Furthermore, the room can double as a dog exercise area during inclement weather conditions when outdoor activities are limited.
Be a part of history!
Memorial Photo Tile
$500+ donations include a Memorial Photo Plaque that will be displayed in the new addition. We will contact you for plaque information if you donate $500 or more on this fundraising page. Please fill out the form at this link if you would like a photo plaque:
Recognition on Addition Plaque
$1,000+ donations will include naming rights to the 2025 addition. A plaque with your name and donation amount category will be posted on the door to the addition. We will contact you to ensure you would like your name and donation amount to be disclosed on the plaque.
