In 2008 when floodwaters destroyed the old Iowa City Animal Care and Adoption Center, hundreds of animals were left without a permanent location.

After moving from their temporary location at the fairgrounds, they settled at 5852 Sand Road, where they still reside.

In July 2014, the city broke ground at the future location of the new animal shelter, 3910 Napoleon Lane, and Director Liz Ford presented a building update of the new center to the Johnson CountyBoard of Supervisors on Thursday.

“There were a lot of people [in 2008] who were thinking this could turn out to be a good thing,” said. “We had outgrown the old shelter; there were a variety of things that weren’t right anymore.”

Neumann Monson Architects of Iowa City headed the architecture and engineering of the building.

“Our new building, I’m excited to say, is really going to be wonderful,” she said. “It’s going to be a great thing for all of the community.”

Among the shelter’s new features, Ford said, will be separation of species — which lowers the stress of animals and keeps visitors safe — separation of animals by health and temperament, as well as increased acoustics, better air flow for animal and visitor comfort, and a dedicated surgery room, something Ford said they had never had.

Unlike the former dark and cramped shelter, which Ford said played into the “pound mentality,” she said the new shelter will also focus more heavily on being a destination for families or the community to come and visit.

The current move in date to the new shelter is planned for August.

— by Ben Marks