Frequently Asked Questions
The Lewis and Clark Humane Society is located at 2112 E. Custer Ave. Helena, Mt 59602. We are directly across from Costco on the Northside just after the intersection of Washington St. and Custer Ave.
Monday: Closed – phone messages checked and calls returned and stray intake and reuniting done between 8am-12pm
Tuesday: 10am-4pm by appointment only
Wednesday: 10am-4pm by appointment only
Thursday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-3pm
Friday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-3pm
Saturday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-3pm
Sunday: Closed – phone messages checked and calls returned and stray intake and reuniting done between 8am-12pm
*No appointment necessary for monetary or in-kind donation drop off or stray intake/reuniting.
Call the shelter immediately to do a lost report, don’t wait to see if your animal will come back. You can also post their picture on social media websites to help get the word out about your missing pet — always include where they were lost and how they can get a hold of you. We also encourage you to visit the shelter and look at our current stray animal population to ensure your animal has not come to us as a stray, you can check in with a staff member at the front desk and they will assist you with visiting our Stray Center. While LCHS does its best to reunite families with their pets, it is the responsibility of the pet owner to continue to ensure the pet is not at our facilities.
If you have found a pet during open hours you can bring the animal down to the shelter to have them scanned for a microchip. As the finder you have the option to either surrender the animal as a stray or hold the animal in your home and fill out a found report. There is no fee associated with surrendering a stray, however, we do accept donations.
If you have found a dog while the shelter is closed, you can contact Lewis & Clark County Animal Control at the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone number 406-447-8235. You can also post the pet’s picture on social media websites to help get the word out about the animal- always include where they were found and how to get a hold of you.
No, the Lewis and Clark Humane Society is a Private Non-Profit Shelter who contracts with Lewis and Clark County, Jefferson County, and Broadwater County. This means we work in cooperation with Animal Control and Law Enforcement to house and care for stray animals within these counties. The shelter is a holding facility that cares for animals who are lost, quarantined, or part of a cruelty case. We do not have the ability to remove animals from a property, write tickets, or investigate animal cruelty. If you feel that an animal is in danger please contact the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office through their non-emergency phone number at 406-447-8235.
Animals brought in as a stray, whether by a private citizen or animal control, are held for 72 hours in accordance with the law while we wait to see if an owner is found. After the 72 hours if no one has claimed the animal, it is medically evaluated, spayed or neutered, and placed up for adoption. The shelter never euthanizes stray or owner-surrendered animals for space or length of stay.
Thank you for your interest in adopting! You can find our adoption process here and a list of our available dogs and cats here. Adoption times vary based on a myriad of factors, however our goal is to get each of our animals in the best home for them as soon as possible. Application approval time can vary based on a number of considerations, including how many applications we receive and landlord approval. Adoption Staff work as quickly as possible to review each application as it comes in.
The Lewis & Clark Humane Society utilizes Home To Home™ for any family wishing to rehome an animal and are able to keep it in their home until a new family is found. In this scenario, we list the animal as an adoptable courtesy listing via the Home To Home website, accessible through the LCHS website. People interested in adopting the animal will reach out to you through the Home To Home platform. Through a Home To Home listing, you are able to select the new family for your pet.
You can find our everyday wish list here and our Amazon Wishlist here
Items we cannot use include — fitted sheets, bed pillows, human clothing, electric blankets, and soiled items. If you have a large item or an item not on our list please call ahead, thank you!