Frequently Asked Questions

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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.

What are your hours?

Monday: Closed – phone messages checked and calls returned and stray intake and reuniting done between 8am-12pm
Tuesday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-4pm
Wednesday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-4pm
Thursday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-4pm
Friday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-4pm
Saturday: 10am-4pm, open kennel viewing 12pm-4pm
Sunday: Closed – phone messages checked and calls returned and stray intake and reuniting done between 8am-12pm

What do I do if I have lost a pet?

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.

What do I do if I have found a pet?

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.

Are you Animal Control?

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.

What do you do with Stray Animals?

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.

How do I adopt an animal and how long does it take?

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.

How do I rehome a pet and what is a Home To Home?

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.

What item donations do you take? Are there any you don’t?

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!

Are you a ″no kill″ shelter?

“No-kill” is a significant shift in animal welfare. It’s a movement that encourages shelters and communities to exhaust every single option before turning to euthanasia. The consensus of a No-Kill Shelter according to our colleagues in the animal welfare industry is No Kill Shelters save healthy and treatable pets. They only euthanize those deemed unable to rehabilitate and are irremediably suffering or are dangerous to people or other pets. The standard is a 90% adoption rate to be considered no-kill. We check all of the boxes and work hard to find an alternative to euthanasia. While we are able to do so we recognize that other shelters are not able to do this because of their capacity. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care and it’s not their fault if they can’t achieve “no-kill” status. In an effort to not be divisive, we do not promote that we are a no kill shelter, but that we have a 98% save rate.

Do you euthanize?

Also, yes. We only euthanize for the same reasons an owner would. A terminal illness where the animal is suffering, an age where the animal is suffering, or aggression – when the animal is a severe risk to humans. Euthanasia is a decision that is never taken lightly. It’s a decision made by a group of highly trained employees, and it’s only considered after all other options have been exhausted. It’s a difficult decision and one that the employees carry with them every single day. That being said, even though euthanasia is a difficult decision, part of our responsibility to our community is making those decisions to help end suffering and to keep our employees, volunteers, adopters, and community safe. If there is one thing that we hope our community knows it’s that no animal has ever been euthanized at LCHS without knowing tremendous amounts of love. We’ve worked really hard to increase our adoption rate and lower our euthanasia rate, and you’ve helped! By donating, adopting, volunteering, and sharing our posts on social media!