Fairbanks Opens Bidding for New Animal Shelter

The $33 million project aims to replace the aging 51-year-old facility.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Fairbanks North Star Borough has opened bidding for the construction of a new animal shelter, a $33 million project that will replace the aging 51-year-old existing facility. The new shelter will be three times the size of the current space and feature improvements like a dedicated surgery room, separate recovery areas for cats and dogs, and better climate controls.

Why it matters

The current animal shelter has been criticized as inadequate, with issues like euthanasia taking place in the same room as cat housing and a makeshift surgery area. The new facility is intended to better meet the community's needs and provide a more humane environment for the animals.

The details

The new 30,000-square-foot animal shelter will be located on a wooded lot off the Old Richardson Highway near South Cushman Street. The borough assembly voted 7-2 to allocate $16 million to the project, adding to the existing $17 million already budgeted. However, some community members have criticized the price tag, calling it the 'Puppy Palace.' Assembly Member Tammie Wilson, who voted against the additional funding, raised concerns about the facility's design, including the potential issues with heated floors and air handling. But Mayor Grier Hopkins argues the new shelter is a necessity, calling the current facility 'a mess' that cannot meet the community's needs.

  • The bidding opportunity for the new shelter opened on February 27, 2026 and will close on April 7, 2026.
  • On February 12, 2026, the borough assembly voted 7-2 to allocate $16 million for the project.

The players

Fairbanks North Star Borough

The local government overseeing the construction of the new animal shelter.

Tammie Wilson

A borough assembly member who voted against the additional $16 million in funding, citing concerns about the facility's design.

Grier Hopkins

The borough mayor, who argues the new shelter is necessary to meet the community's needs and replace the current 'mess' of a facility.

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What they’re saying

“We had veterinarians come to us, and have been for months, stating that the design is flawed in many ways and actually gave solutions of going to a specialist.”

— Tammie Wilson, Assembly Member (webcenterfairbanks.com)

“The euthanasias... is in the same room as where we hold the cats, so they just pull a curtain. Our surgery room, the surgery table is a sink with a grate on it, and when the animal's too big to get up there, they have to do surgery on the floor.”

— Grier Hopkins, Borough Mayor (webcenterfairbanks.com)

“That is not a luxury. That is not an extra bonus or gold-plated toilets or expensive hammers. Those are the things you need to keep an animal healthy and a shelter running in a way that this community has come to want.”

— Grier Hopkins, Borough Mayor (webcenterfairbanks.com)

What’s next

The bidding process for the new animal shelter will close on April 7, 2026, after which the borough will review the proposals and select a contractor to begin construction.

The takeaway

The new $33 million animal shelter project in Fairbanks highlights the need to provide modern, humane facilities for the community's animals, even if the price tag raises concerns among some residents about the use of taxpayer funds. The debate over the shelter's design and cost underscores the challenge of balancing fiscal responsibility with the desire to improve animal welfare.