LifeFairbanks · June 20, 2026
ten years in the making
After more than a decade of talk, Fairbanks broke ground on a new animal shelter for residents and their pets.
Daily Alaska staff · June 20, 2026 · Fairbanks
The Fairbanks North Star Borough broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks, behind American Tire and Auto just off South Cushman Street, ending more than ten years of discussion about replacing the facility. Borough staff, contractors, animal control employees and the mayor attended the groundbreaking, along with an adoptable dog named Iris.
The project moved forward after the winning contractor submitted a bid about nine point four million dollars below the estimate prepared by the borough's own engineers, a significant savings for taxpayers.
Construction is expected to take a few years, with the new shelter set to open sometime in the spring or summer of 2028.
The new facility will serve Fairbanks area families who adopt pets or need help with lost or stray animals, replacing a plan that had stalled for more than a decade.
In this story
Questions people ask
Where is Fairbanks building its new animal shelter?
On Leasure Street in South Fairbanks, behind American Tire and Auto just off South Cushman Street.
When will the new Fairbanks animal shelter open?
Construction is expected to take a few years, with the shelter set to open in spring or summer of 2028.
How much did the shelter project save taxpayers?
The winning contractor's bid came in about 9.4 million dollars under what the borough's engineers estimated, saving that amount on the project.
Who attended the groundbreaking for the new shelter?
Borough staff, contractors, animal control employees and the mayor attended, along with an adoptable dog named Iris.
Evidence
Sources
Claims and where they come from
- Fairbanks broke ground on a new animal shelter on Leasure Street in South Fairbanks after more than ten years of discussion. · youralaskalink.com
- The winning contractor's bid came in about $9.4 million under the borough engineers' cost estimate. · youralaskalink.com
- The new shelter is expected to open in spring or summer of 2028. · youralaskalink.com
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