High Dog Population Has County Animal Shelter Temporarily Waiving Adoption Fees

The Flathead County Animal Shelter is temporarily waiving its $100 adoption fee in hopes of freeing up kennels at its facility, which has reached capacity with dogs.

As of Monday morning the shelter had 42 dogs and no open kennels.

While the $100 adoption fee is being waived for a limited time, there is still a $45 charge for a lifetime county license for the animal.

The shelter’s dog population reached a similar level last fall, when the number of dogs to start out the month increased from 26 in September to 44 in October. November 2022 saw the shelter begin the month with 42 dogs. The monthly dog population fell back down to 22 to start December, but began climbing again in February 2023, when the shelter began the month with 36 dogs.

The most recent monthly report available on the shelter’s website is from March 2023, when the shelter began the month with 33 dogs, and ended it with 30 after taking in a total of 80 over the course of the month. The Flathead County shelter is a no-kill shelter, but will euthanize in cases where safety or quality of life become concerns. From March 2022 through March 2023, the shelter took in 870 dogs, with an average length of stay of 10.6 days.

Dogs adopted from the shelter are spayed or neutered and have a microchip. The animals are also vaccinated for distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus, parainfluenza and Bordetella, and have received a one-year rabies vaccination if they are three months or older. Additionally, they are given age-appropriate heartworm tests and come with a free certificate for a veterinary exam at participating clinics.

The shelter is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment only, and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Adoptable dogs from the shelter can be viewed at https://flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/animal/adoptions/adoptable_dogs.