City issues design RFQ for new animal shelter

The city of Springfield has issued a request for qualification for the design phase of a new animal shelter.

A partnership between the city and Greene County, the project has a $4.25 million construction budget, according to a news release. The total budget is $4.9 million, according to city officials.

City officials say the animal control and welfare shelter would require roughly 12,000 square feet of space.

The site, a 5-acre parcel of undeveloped land at 3303 W. Division St., was purchased by the city in 2020. It would replace the current shelter at 4002 N. Farmer Road that experiences regular flooding, according to past reporting.

Springfield City Council in September 2022 voted to accept nearly $1.5 million from the county toward construction of the animal shelter. When reviewing the project at its Sept. 6 meeting, officials said the new animal shelter would be a huge improvement over the existing one.

“This is like the Taj Mahal," Councilmember Abe McGull said at the time.

The Springfield-Greene County Health Department oversees the animal shelter.