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Frequently Asked Questions
Q
How long do you keep animals?
A
The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter Board of Directors established
a "no time limit" policy in regard to the animals at the shelter. The purpose of this
policy is to ensure that healthy, adoptable dogs and cats are placed in loving
homes. Adoptable dogs and cats are defined as all weaned or actively nursing animals that are reasonably healthy and well adjusted. Euthanasia is authorized
for animals who are aggressive and placement with the public would pose a risk
to family or pet safety and animals that are ill, injured or extremely old.
Operating within low kill guidelines means there are no time limits regarding
the length of stay for any animal at the shelter. Most of our animals find new
homes withing 2 or 3 weeks.
Q
Are you a 'no kill' shelter?
A -
No. We do not 'kill' for time or space
constraints, however a truly 'no kill' shelter describes a
permanent sanctuary which would require limited admission or severe
crowding would result. We are, however, an extremely 'low kill' shelter. We are a humane society focused entirely on
rebuilding health and habits for the sole purpose of placement in an
adoptive home. We are North Idaho's largest nonprofit full-service
animal-welfare agency. While no-kill shelters reject
animals that are aged, sick or injured, or have little or no chance of
being adopted - we don't screen our admissions. We provide care to all
animals we receive for as long as possible. Without the
availability of a full-service shelter such as ours, thousands of
animals would have no safe refuge. Since we do accept animals in all
condition and all ages, we are faced with the difficult task of
evaluating them for medical and temperament problems. Despite our
veterinary resources, many animals arrive at our shelter too sick, too
severely injured or too horribly abused to be medically rehabilitated.
We humanely euthanize these animals to prevent suffering. In
addition, we humanely euthanize animals with severe behavioral problems
or temperament problems that constitute a safety risk to people or other
animals.
Q
Is it true that all shelter and rescue animals have some sort of problem -
and that is the reason they become homeless?
A: Definitely not. The
majority of our shelter population are well adjusted, often well-trained,
wonderful animals, a minority have behavior issues that are typically a result
of insufficient socialization and lack of established boundaries & training as
youngsters. These behavior traits can easily be modified using consistent,
proven techniques and a little patience. They typically end up at shelters
due to no fault of their own. Pet overpopulation, unclaimed strays,
irresponsible pet ownership, and a familys relocation to a place where pets are
not allowed are the primary causes for pets becoming shelter animals.
Q
Is it recommended to adopt a puppy or kitten versus an
adult dog or cat to ensure getting a good pet?
A Not necessarily. Puppies and kittens
are irresistible and do give us the opportunity to provide appropriate
socialization and training, right from the start. Adopting a puppy or kitten
requires a dedicated time commitment, a high level of patience, physical changes
in your own daily habits, and often, the acceptance that you may experience some
puppy/kitty housebreaking and teething accidents in your home. We have found
that the old adage, You cant teach an old dog new tricks is simply not true.
Adult cats and dogs are often a better choice for some families than going the
puppy / kitten route. Pets are incredibly adaptable creatures, and given the
right guidance, they can assimilate into most any new, loving home, no matter
what their age.
Q -
My pet has
bitten/growled/snapped at me/my kids/someone else. Can I bring him/her to the
shelter for you to find him/her a new home?
A No! First of all, we view pets as
family members and expect that they are treated as such. Thus, it is your
responsibility to first seek professional help from a trainer or animal
behaviorist to evaluate the circumstances and explore possible solutions.
Secondly, if your animal displays severe aggressiveness, it is our policy to
refuse entry. The placement of an aggressive animal into society not only poses
a threat to public safety and that contradicts the very mission of Lewis Clark
Animal Shelter.
Q Who owns the shelter and is it a
government agency?
A - The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter is a
private, non-profit 501 C-3 corporation. The shelter operates with a very modest
core management staff and kennel assistants. The 10 member Board of Directors
actively volunteer and support the shelter operations. We are not a county
facility. Currently, we provide sheltering services to the Nez Perce County
Sheriff's Department and The Lewiston City Police Department, CuldeSac, Nez
Perce Tribe Police Department and Asotin County Sheriff's Department. These
police Departments bring impounded animals to our shelter for care, sheltering
and reclaiming by their owners. On their behalf, we hold, care for, license and release animals
that are brought to the shelter by Animal Control Officers.
Q
Is the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
affiliated with any animal rights organizations?
A No. We are not an animal rights
organization, nor do we support any other agency. We are an independent,
community-based organization committed to educating the public about the
responsibilities of pet ownership and the humane treatment of animals.
Q
How is the shelter financed?
A The majority of our funding comes from
fundraising efforts and donations. Additionally, people who share our vision and
responsibility for caring for animals share their estates, insurance and wills
with Lewis Clark Animal Shelter.
Q What will my monetary donation pay
for?
A 100% of your tax deductible
contributions will be spent on quality care (medical and behavioral) for our animals. In addition to
providing basic sustenance for our guests, we repair and upgrade facilities,
support our on-going spay & neuter program, purchase supplies, toys and treats,
continue fund raising efforts, and work to improve all shelter operations and
community services.
Q
Are there other ways to help the
Lewis Clark Animal Shelter besides making a financial contribution?
A Absolutely! The shelter relies heavily
on volunteer participation to accomplish a variety of tasks. Our many volunteer
positions are described in detail on this web site under the Volunteers Tab. We
welcome your assistance in performing any one of these tasks. Spreading the good
word about the shelter is also a helpful and important mission!
Q
What if I want to volunteer but
find that it may be too depressing to work at the shelter?
A While we endeavor to make our shelter
anything but depressing, we do recognize that people are sensitive to animals in
confinement. Therefore, we have plenty of other off-site volunteer
opportunities. Please refer to the Volunteer Tab on this web site for a complete
and detailed description of all volunteer positions.
Q Why are all shelter animals
required to be altered?
A - Animal shelters really treat only the
symptoms of a greater problem of pet over-population. The underlying cause of
this problem is the failure of owners to have their pets spayed or
neutered. The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter is committed to solving this problem by
spaying and neutering all animals prior to leaving the shelter.
Q-
Why are your adoption fees
different for small lap dogs and large dogs?
A-
Having a higher adoption fee for animals we
know will go home quickly enables us to care for long-timer residents
until they find their new home. Perfectly fine large dogs
sometimes must live here for months before someone adopts them.
That costs quite a bit more than other pets that slide right
through our shelter into new family homes. Higher adoption fees
for these pets help pay for the longer term pets at Lewis Clark Animal
Shelter. LCAS is a non-profit but to remain viable we have to run
like a business. That means we need to present the LCAS Board of
Trustees with a balanced budget every year and live within that budget.
Q-
What is the difference between the Lewis
Clark Animal Shelter and other animal welfare organizations that solicit
funds from me through the mail (such as Humane Society of the United
States, PETA, American Humane, ASPCA, Best Friends, etc.)?
A - While all these organizations
work to help animals, what sets LCAS apart from the
national organizations is that we operate a local shelter that receives
and houses animals with a trackable health care and adoption program. LCAS works
directly with members of the Lewis Clark Valley community to find homes for homeless
pets, help increase the value of companion animals, stop abuse and
neglect, and solve training and behavior difficulties. Every cent
donated to Lewis Clark Animal Shelter stays in the valley to improve the
plight of animals here.
A - No, currently there are no
national organizations that financially support local shelters. LCAS is
a non-profit independent organization funded solely by the
voluntary donations
of individuals and businesses in this community.
Funding for LCAS's services and programs is received in the form of
cash donations, bequests, trusts and endowments, and fees.
A - Let us count the ways - LCAS
greatly appreciates donations of cash, time, and items. The Lewis Clark
Animal Shelter is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and your donation
is tax-deductible as allowed by law. Your
financial support helps us maintain and even expand the programs and
services we offer to the community. LCAS's programs would not exist
without the generous support from our own community.
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Lewis
Clark Animal Shelter
