Blackfoot shelter may hold twice as many animals after major donation

The city-run Blackfoot Animal Shelter may be able to double the number of animals it holds after a recent donation of kennels and pet carriers from the Pocatello Animal Shelter.

The Pocatello shelter recently moved from its old facility into a new one next door, and no longer had a need for much of its old equipment.

“We’re really kind of small and don’t have enough room for some of the animals,” said Blackfoot Police Chief Kurt Asmus, who oversees the Blackfoot shelter. “Any little bit’s really going help us out.”

The new equipment arrived Friday and included kennels for both cats and dogs, mobile carriers as well as desks and a refrigerator.

Asmus estimates the shelter doubled the number of cages it has, which he said will help cut down on the number of euthanasias performed.

“With cats, it’s really hard to find homes for those, so the longer we can keep an animal and try to re-home it, i think it’s better for the animal all around,” said Asmus.

In addition to the supplies from the Pocatello shelter, the Blackfoot shelter was also able to purchase a new $3,200 shed using donated funds. The shed will store some of the items that previously littered the shelter.

“It’s really going make life a whole lot easier for us,” said Asmus.

You can donate to the shelter online.