Indy 500 racers help raise money to build city animal shelter – Indianapolis News | Weather Indiana | Indiana traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — IndyCar team Arrow McLaren has teamed up with Friends of Indy Animals to help the city build a new animal shelter.

Several Indianapolis 500 drivers, including Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, joined shelter dogs at Monument Circle on Wednesday. Organizers are working to raise $7 million for the city government’s new animal shelter. The Indianapolis Animal Care Services shelter will open in June.

Rossi said: “I have two dogs, so animals are close to me. They have a special place in my heart. Especially now, this time of year, it is their final push to raise the last amount of money. They match donations up to $20,000, so anything we can do as an IndyCar team and drivers to raise awareness for that is really good.”

As WISHTV.com reported in March, financing for the facility includes a $20 million bond approved by the city’s City Council.

The new 72,000-square-foot facility will be located at 5001 E. Raymond St. on the city’s southeast side, just north of the city of Beech Grove in Marion County.

Animal Care Services’ current shelter is located at 2600 S. Harding St. That is south of West Raymond Street, near the White River bridge.

This story was created from a script that aired on WISH-TV.