A new animal shelter for Springfield-Greene County is being built at 3303 W. Division. City and county officials held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the facility on Friday as work continued on the project in the background.
The project is "designed to improve animal services and strengthen the role of animal welfare in the broader public health system," according to a press release.
Springfield-Greene County Health Department Executive Director Katie Towns said at the groundbreaking event, "as we reflect on all that has gotten us to this day and what we're doing as we embark on this journey to build this facility, I want us to know that we are so thankful because of the way that our community has supported this endeavor. It also shows how we are taking care of some of the most vulnerable life in our community."
She said animals teach us how to be better humans.
The approximately 8,950-square-foot facility will include an outdoor run for the animals, a centralized drain system for cleanliness and easy access parking for community members.
It's a joint project of Springfield and Greene County with the city contributing approximately $3.4 million from property tax revenues and the county contributing approximately $1.5 million from the county-wide .5% general sales tax approved by voters in 2017.
Construction is expected to be completed in early 2026, and operations will begin soon after.
Area animal rescue groups will continue to pull unclaimed animals from the shelter and help them find homes.
One of those is Castaway Animal Rescue Effort or C.A.R.E. Rob Hardy represented that organization at the groundbreaking ceremony. He said they've worked with animal control for more than two decades and rescued, rehabilitated, vetted and rehomed around 20,000 animals. He's excited about having a new facility for animals that are picked up for various reasons.
"Animal control officers deserve this," he said. "Our city deserves this, and, most importantly, the animals deserve this."
Kit Baumgartner, supervisor of animal control, echoed that sentiment in a statement.
“This is about more than a building," he said. "It is about doing right by the animals in our care and the people who care for them. It’s also about providing a better experience for the residents of Springfield and Greene County who rely on these services.”
