IndyHumane fixing air conditioning issue at shelter

INDIANAPOLIS—An Indianapolis animal shelter says it is making changes to its cooling system amid this week’s sweltering temperatures.

A concerned citizen contacted WRTV with a picture inside a dog kennel that read 81.5 degrees with 65 percent humidity.

The high temperature in Indianapolis on Wednesday was 90 degrees.

The City of Indianapolis ordinance says dogs must be brought inside a temperature-controlled building that’s kept between 40 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit when:

• the temperature outside is 90°F & above
• there’s a heat advisory
• there’s a wind chill warning
• a tornado warning has been issued

WRTV reached out to IndyHumane who told us they are experiencing a mechanical issue with one of their AC units in one of the kennels.

"The care and safety of our animals is the number one focus at IndyHumane. We installed a new AC unit in the kennels at the end of June, however, mechanical issues have arisen with the new unit, and this issue is being addressed by our HVAC partner now,” said Jennifer Bedsole, IndyHumane Interim CEO in a statement to WRTV. “We have put measures into place to accommodate the animals as we migrate through this issue, including portable AC units. We are hopeful that the situation will be fixed by tomorrow."

A spokesperson for IndyHumane said one of IndyHumane’s two dog kennels is impacted by the issue.