Our Progress

A New Shelter In 2009!
The animals have waited long enough, and their wait is almost over! Thanks to a lot of hard work by Chris Behrens at Allers & Associates Architects, the new plans for the shelter are complete. The new shelter will be 10,000 square feet and include room for 156 cats or other small animals, at least 84 dogs, a veterinary clinic, a training center and a public meeting room! We will break ground this spring. We hope you'll join us to see the plans, the new site for the shelter, and learn all about how you can help us build it at our First Annual Fur Ball, Saturday, March 28 at the Fort Dodge/Ford/Lincoln/Mercury Showroom (thanks Deb and Casey Johnson!) in Fort Dodge. Stay tuned for more information!!

Health Insurance and Micro Chip
Beginning Saturday, January 24, every pet that is adopted is eligible for one-month's free health insurance! And soon, every animal adopted from the Shelter will be micro-chipped with a 24-PetWatch Micro-chip. These exciting developments are a result of our new partnership with PetPoint, a shelter management software that helps us manage our animals more efficiently.

Obedience and Behavior Training at the Shelter
Dogs need discipline and training so that they know their place in their new families. In January, Ginny Settell began working with our staff and volunteers to get our dogs ready to take their proper place in your family. Ginny has shown dogs at the national level and works with local 4-H youth and their dogs. We're thrilled to have her expertise!

Spaying And Neutering
Iowa law says that every cat or dog adopted from a licensed animal shelter must be spayed or neutered within 30 days of adoption (with some exceptions for young animals). The Shelter no longer routinely neuters animals as they come into the shelter; we feel that the procedure can be too stressful for animals already stressed by the changes in their lives. When you adopt an un-neutered animal from us, we will collect a $50 spay/neuter deposit which will be refunded to you once you have your new friend neutered. Adopters who fail to have their animals neutered will be prosecuted, and their animals may be forfeited. Spaying and neutering is very important, it's the law, and we WILL follow up to make sure adopters comply. (And we thank you, and so do the animals!)