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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2025-2029 Community Wide Plan for Indianapolis/Marion County Animal Welfare

YEAR ONE ACTION PLAN

Community Wide Plan for Indianapolis/Marion County Animal Welfare

Pascale Hollings

West Michigan Street Veterinary Clinic

Pascale grew up on a horse farm and always knew she would be in the animal field. Graduating the Vet Tech Institute in 2015, she acquired her license as a veterinary technician and has been at West Michigan Street Veterinary Clinic since in full or part-time capacity.
During her career, she has witnessed a broad variety of medical cases and needs, worked with members from rescues, outreach programs, and citizens of all backgrounds to maximize treatment potential and access to care. Recently, she opened Silver Bell Pet Cremation to ensure there was an affordable pet cremation option for central Indiana. Additionally, Pascale often volunteers her medical skills for free pet microchipping and vaccination pop-up clinics through Hoosier Fix, FIDO, Sketchy Mutts and Underdogs, Indy Humane, and Lucky Dog Retreat Rescue.
In 2024, she joined the Steering Committee and transitioned to a board member of Operation Indy Animals to continue to assist the Indianapolis community with needed animal services and access to knowledge.

Jen Hancock

Executive Director, F.A.C.E.

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Donna Casamento

CEO, Indy Humane

IndyHumane’s mission is to improve animal welfare in central Indiana. We are committed to ending the cycle of pet overpopulation, providing affordable pet ownership, and ensuring the well-being, health and safety of all animals in our care. We strive to promote the human animal bond and the powerful impact this mutually beneficial relationship has on individuals, families, and the Indianapolis community.

Dawn Benefiel

Executive Director, Indy Neighborhood Cats

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Darcie Kurtz, Co-Chair

Executive Director, F.I.D.O.

Darcie has served in a variety of roles in Indianapolis animal welfare for over 25 years. She began as a volunteer dog-walker at two local animal shelters and later chaired the Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) advisory board. 20 years ago, Darcie founded FIDO Indy to address the unmet needs of dogs in our community who are kept outside chained or penned. 15 years ago, Darcie made the decision to leave her clinical research position at Eli Lilly to take a job at IACS as kennel manager. Darcie has subsequently held leadership positions at the FACE Low-Cost Animal Clinic, Southside Animal Shelter, and the Low Cost Spay Neuter Clinic in Noblesville/Brownsburg. After years of serving as a volunteer and board member with FIDO, she became FIDO’s first Executive Director in 2017. Since then, Darcie has worked to grow FIDO’s staffing and budget to expand and enhance the animal welfare programs and services FIDO provides to the community. In 2023, Darcie initiated the development of the citywide 5-year animal welfare strategic plan, serving on its steering committee for the first year, and continuing on as the co-chair of Operation Indy Animals, charged with implementation of the strategic plan. Darcie is motivated to ensure that Operation Indy Animals succeeds in fully implementing the strategic plan so that Indianapolis is once and for all a humane community for animals.

Brett Kruger

Indianapolis Animal Care Services, Advisory Board Member

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Alyssa Lewis, Co-Chair

Founder & Executive Director,
Peaceful Souls Animal Rescue and Recovery

Peaceful Souls was founded in 2019, and I have been trapping dogs since 2012.
Peaceful Souls Animal Rescue and Recovery is a small nonprofit dedicated to assisting our community with trapping and recovery of lost and stray dogs. We are a resource for guidance regarding found animals, and the only outreach partner assisting our animal care agency in containing lost or at-large animals. I have worked in some form of animal welfare for the last 20 years while also working in the private sector in IT Program Management.
This coalition means an opportunity to do it right. To make a difference in Marion County. To speak for those that can’t speak for themselves. Truly concentrating on saving one soul at a time, we can address overpopulation, abuse/neglect, and our community at large. I believe that by partnering with other organizations and helping to address the underlying issues we can solve animal welfare issues in a collaborative effort.

Kristin Hancock

Executive Director, Friends of Indy Animals

A small town girl with great big dreams, Kristin Hancock is the executive director at Friends of Indy Animals and is leading the organization into a new era of community leadership. Through creative solutions and strategic fundraising, Kristin is working to create a community of support for animal welfare improvement in the City of Indianapolis. With a professional background in corporate communications and employee engagement, Kristin has had the pleasure of working with organizations like Ronald McDonald House and Make-A-Wish. She believes strongly in leaning in, giving back, and community over competition. In Indianapolis by way of Canada, Kristin immigrated in 2019 and continues to enjoy learning how to be a Hoosier.

Amanda Dehoney-Hinkle

Director, Indianapolis Animal Care Services

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