Great Falls Animal Shelter reduces adoption fees to combat overcrowding

The Great Falls Animal Shelter is again participating in the Bissell Pet Foundation 'Empty the Shelters' Event, as the shelter utilizes limited resources to provide the best care possible while facing overcrowding.

The shelter participates in the event through the Bissell Pet Foundation, and is the nation’s largest-funded adoption event. To encourage prospective pet owners, all adoption fees will be at a reduced rate of $20 through July 31st, not including the city license fee.

As the shelter is always at capacity, these events significantly increase the amount of homeless animals being adopted, doubling the amount of adoptions to around 15 to 20 per week.

Besides adoption, there are numerous ways to help reduce the stress on the shelter and help out the animals. The shelter is always in need of consistent volunteers to help enrich the lives of the animals by walking the dogs and playing with the cats.

Laramie Smovir, the operations director, explained that other ways people can help is to “come and help is by volunteering and spending time with these animals so they can get out of their kennel space as well and have some positive interaction.”

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Donations of cleaning supplies such dish soap and detergent are appreciated and help to provide a clean, healthy space for the animals. Dishes, beds, and blankets that the animals use are washed daily, so these supplies are always in high demand.

Additionally, animals are vaccinated, spayed, and neutered through donations to the shelter’s Guardian Fund, which also services as their emergency medical fund.

Smovir explained, “If we have an animal that's brought into the facility that has been hit by a car, or has some other excessive medical need, it is paid for out of that Guardian Angel Fund, so we're always looking for people to donate.”

The reduced adoption fees do not include the cost of the city license for individuals who live within the city limits. Licenses can be purchased at the animal shelter or participating veterinary clinics.

Click here to see the current list of adoptable pets .

The Great Falls Animal Shelter is at 1010 25th Avenue NE. For more information, call 406-454-2276, or click here to visit the website.