| INFO | | GENERAL |
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| Mission Statement | Annual Shelter Statistics 2006-2007 | ||||
| Adoption Procedures & Fees |
The mission of the Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley is to protect animals from neglect, abuse, and exploitation; to adopt animals to qualified homes; to reduce over-population through education and an active spay/neuter program; to advocate for their welfare through programs and services that mutually benefit animals and people, as well as promote awareness and compassion for all animal life.
We are centrally located in Idaho’s Blaine County, approximately 1 ½ miles west of Hailey in Croy Creek Canyon. From downtown Hailey, turn west on Bullion Street, continue past the Wood River crossing and find us on the right side of the road.
100 Croy
Creek Road
P.O. Box 1496
Hailey ID 83333
Telephone: 208-788-4351 FAX: 788-3601
EMAIL:
info@animalshelterwrv.org
The original Animal Hospice concept was founded in 1972. For years, it functioned as a pet placement network, individuals fostering lost or abandoned pets and caring for their many needs, while looking for new homes.
The Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley opened its doors in May of 1982. The five acres of land the facilities occupy was a gift from a local benefactor. Many fundraising benefits, private donations, volunteer laborers and initial funding given by the Blaine County Government in exchange for services of collecting fines and license fees, contributed to the construction of the original facility.
The original facility, which still stands, includes a small office, cattery, and a dog kennel room. In the years that followed, outdoor playpens were added, another dog kennel building, an isolation room, a dog impound room, our pet acquaintance center & training area, three new large outdoor kennels and most recently our surgery/medical center.
The Barkin' Basement, our thrift store subsidiary on Main Street in downtown Hailey, opened its doors in April of 1994. The store provides the shelter a good source of outside financing and offers tax deductions for all merchandise donated. The thrift store facility is rented space, not a shelter property. The store is always looking for donations, and can provide pickup for small merchandise. Volunteer help is needed and always welcome.
The Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley is a private, non-profit 501 C-3 corporation. The shelter operates with a very modest core management staff and kennel assistants. The fifteen member Board of Directors set policy and actively support the shelter in its fundraising and educational efforts.
The majority of our funding comes from fundraising efforts and donations. We are not a county facility. Currently we service the Blaine County Animal Control Program as their Impound Facility, holding and releasing animals brought to the shelter by our Animal Control Officers and local citizens.
In May of 1999, the Board of Directors adopted a Resolution to operate as a "no kill" shelter, the first in Idaho. Our goal is to safely house any dog or cat who we believe adoptable until the time we find a loving home for the animal. The Board defined adoptable dogs and cats as all dogs and cats over the age of eight weeks that are reasonably healthy and well adjusted, regardless of whether the animal is elderly, disfigured, blind, deaf or missing a limb. However, the Board does authorize euthanasia for animals who cannot be rehabilitated either because they are hopelessly ill, injured, extremely old or are so aggressive that their placement with the public would pose a risk to public safety.
Operating within no kill guidelines means there are no time limits regarding the length of stay for any animal at the shelter. The modest core staff provide the basic needs of food and clean shelter for the animals. Our volunteer network is essential to the mission of maintaining a quality of life for the animals during their stay at the shelter. We rely on members of the community to walk dogs, bathe, groom the animals and help with instilling basic training and good manners. Spending a short few minutes with a lonely dog or cat may serve as the most important part of their day. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
FACTS & FIGURES
15,000 lbs of food consumed each year
800 lbs of dog biscuits consumed each year
14,000 lbs of kitty litter used each year
$25.00 is our daily cost to feed & house one dog
$18.00 is our daily cost to feed & house one cat
Average number of cats in residence: 45
Average number of dogs in residence: 43
Any visitor to the shelter interested in adopting one of the animals, is asked to fill out an adoption application. We interview all potential adopters with the goal of placing an animal with the correct family and compatible lifestyle. This is of prime importance - we endeavor to make this new home the animal's residence for life. All of our animals must be spayed or neutered before leaving our facility as part of our adoption contract.
The adoption fees include spay / neuter costs as well as any vaccinations administered at the shelter. We also require the purchase of a dog license for all of our Blaine County residents.
Adoption Costs
Dog adoptions: $ 75.00 + $15.00 if old enough to have received a rabies vaccination + $10.00 if residing in Blaine County for license fee = Max Total $100.00
Cat adoptions: $ 50.00 + $15.00 if old enough to have received a rabies vaccination = Max Total $65.00
Blaine County Animal Code requires any person owning a dog six months of age or older to obtain and exhibit a valid dog license. The Animal Shelter oversees the sale and record keeping of all Blaine County Dog licenses. Pet owners must show proof of rabies vaccination in order to obtain a Blaine County dog license.
It is a helpless feeling to have a dog brought to the shelter exhibiting no form of identification. A simple dog license allows the staff to access our computer data base, identify the owner and return the dog home quickly.
License Sales Locations:
Animal Shelter
Ketchum Police Department
Sun Valley Police Department
St. Francis Pet Clinic
Sun Valley Animal Center
Sawtooth Animal Center
License Fees:
$ 10.00 spayed/ neutered dog
$ 20.00 non-altered dog
$ 1.00 replacement tag
Licenses are issued for one calendar year, valid January 1 - December 31 annually.
The Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley is much more than an impound facility and adoption center! We have established programs which help the community in a variety of ways. Our existing programs are regularly evaluated and upgraded as required, and development of new educational programs are in the works. The shelter provides services in connection with the following:
Animal Adoptions
Breed Rescue Resource Network
Community Education Programs
Community Impound Facility
Dog License Sale & Record Keeping
Foster Program
Hikin' Buddies Program
Pet Crematory
Pet Surrender
Pet Lost & Found Network
Free Spay & Neuter Clinics
Training & Behavior Support
Community NO COST Spay / Neuter Program
The Animal Shelter is committed to reducing pet overpopulation through an active community spay / neuter program. The shelter offers monthly no cost spay/neuter clinics to pet owners in Blaine County throughout the year.
Animals as young as 8 weeks can participate in the clinics. The ASWRV endorses early spay / neuter practices, in accordance with the recommendations of the AVMA. Early spay and neuteris a safe and effective way to help reduce pet overpopulation. If you would like to participate in our no cost Spay / Neuter Clinic, contact the shelter at 788.4351 or email the shelter at info@animalshelterwrv.org.
Any resident of Blaine County may request the surrender of their pet to the Animal Shelter. However, as a private organization, we have the right to refuse any animal we deem not adoptable. An initial behavior profile will determine if the animal is healthy and non-aggressive. If the animal is obviously not in good health, we ask the visitor to bring the pet to a veterinarian for treatment and return to the shelter when the animal is healthy. It is extremely important that we screen animals for good health; we need to protect the health and well being of the general population living at the shelter.
If a dog is aggressive, we must refuse entry to the shelter. We urge the pet owner to seek behavior modification training or network with friends or family who might be capable of caring for the animal. We cannot accept aggressive dogs because we cannot return them to the community and risk the chance of endangering people or their animals.
We collect a modest surrender fee of $25.00 per animal, and/ or $100.00 surrender fee for litters of puppies or kittens. If a visitor questions this fee, we remind them that we are a non-profit organization, who relies on donations and contributions to operate the shelter. The nominal fee of $25.00 per animal barely covers its initial costs to us for worming, vaccinating, feeding and boarding.
We obtain pertinent information regarding the pet's history, require they fill out a surrender form, and require proof they are a resident of Blaine County.
All surrendered animals are isolated from the general population until our Medical Care Supervisor can examine the animal, check the animal in, and create its medical file.
Surrendered animals are not available for adoption for at least 48 hours from their arrival at the shelter.
The Animal Shelter services the Blaine County Animal Control Program, holding and releasing animals brought to the shelter by our Animal Control Officers and local citizens. We accept animals found at large within the county boundaries. We do not accept out of county dogs. Animal Control has access to the impound facility 24 hours a day/ 365 days of the year. In addition to animals found at large, occasionally we receive dogs of citizens who were imprisoned by police.
We accept stray dogs from our citizens because the County's Animal Control Officers work limited hours and specifically are not on duty on weekends nor holidays. Concerned citizens who find dogs at large and cannot be assisted by Animal Control, are welcome to bring an animal to the shelter.
No member of the Shelter staff is authorized to pick up a stray animal. If we receive a call from a citizen requesting we pick up an animal, we advise the caller that we are not part of Animal Control and have no legal right to transport the animal to our facility.
With little exception, Animal Control only impounds dogs. The Animal Shelter will loan a humane trap to a citizen who wishes to transport a cat to the shelter.
We receive numerous calls from citizens asking for assistance on trapping skunks, birds, and wild animals. We also receive calls from citizens asking that we remove animals killed on the road. We suggest the caller phone Fish & Game Control, and offer their phone number 208.324.4350.
All impounds received at the shelter are isolated from the general population for a seven day period. They are examined by our Medical Care Supervisor, scanned for micro chips, and posted on the local radio lost & found report. If there is any type of tag or identification on the animal, the office staff exhausts all possibilities to locate the pet's owner. The staff checks our lost & found log with the hope someone has called looking for their pet.
There are various boarding and transport fees which must be paid by a pet owner before they retrieve their pet. In addition, pet owners must show proof of a current rabies vaccination and purchase a valid dog license if one does not already exist. Any medical expenses the shelter has incurred on behalf of their pet must also be reimbursed to the shelter.
We are not obligated to return a pet to their owner unless we receive full payment of all fees.
If we receive an animal we believe has been abused or neglected by its owner, we contact the appropriate Animal Control Officer and file a report.
We reserve the right to reclaim any Animal Shelter of Wood River Valley alumni who comes to us as an animal at large.
