Mayor, council to find another candidate to lead Indianapolis Animal Care Services

The interim leader at Indianapolis Animal Care Services—who has faced weeks of criticism over conditions at the city’s animal shelter—won’t become the permanent director.

Interim director Kelly Diamond had been nominated by Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett for the permanent role at IACS, but the mayor withdrew the nomination just hours before the Indianapolis City-County Council planned to vote on her appointment Monday evening.

Council Vice President Ali Brown, who also chairs the council Community Affairs Committee, said the council instead opted to table the proposal to hire Diamond as director indefinitely after it was contacted by the Hogsett administration.

The council voted 21-4 in favor of tabling the proposal. Councilors Jesse Brown, John Barth and Andy Nielsen, all Democrats, voted against tabling it. Hogsett will need to nominate another person for the position.

“We were not told when a new director would be nominated,” Brown said. “I’m not sure what happens at this point.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office did not respond to questions from IBJ about the situation Monday evening.

Diamond’s proposed appointment passed through the Community Affairs Committee on Jan. 22 unanimously, but committee chair Ali Brown moved to send it back to committee for a second public hearing. At the subsequent Feb. 19 meeting, councilors spent nearly three hours hearing public comments from animal welfare activists and volunteers.

The Indianapolis Star reported that 40 people testified against Diamond’s appointment, including a dozen volunteers.

Following the hearing, councilors received phone calls and emails from constituents, talked with the Hogsett administration and some met with Diamond, Brown said.

“We heard the volunteers … very loudly. We listened…” Brown said. “I believe this is the response that they were looking for.”

IACS became an independent agency this year after previously being overseen by the larger Department of Business and Neighborhood Services.

Diamond was selected to become the shelter’s deputy director of policy and planning in July 2023. She was previously director of clinic services at the IndyHumane Downtown Clinic and was rescue group coordinator for the Indy Mega Adoption Event.

Diamond has faced criticism over recent moves to reduce volunteer hours and change the way background checks are done on potential adopters.

Speaking with IBJ about plans for a new municipal shelter in July 2024, Diamond acknowledged some of the shelter’s challenges.

“We are overcrowded, we are overwhelmed, and we are just trying to kind of get out of that situation. It becomes a lot,” Diamond told IBJ. “It’s also working in a building that is so old and in an environment that is not necessarily the easiest to accomplish your goals. It definitely takes a toll on the staff.”

The new shelter is being built at 5001 E. Raymond St. and is expected to open in early 2026. The 72,000-square-foot facility will be nearly three times larger than the existing facility at 2600 S. Harding St.