Idaho Falls Animal Shelter stray animal drop boxes closing

As of Monday, Feb. 12, the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter’s stray animal drop boxes will no longer be available to the public.

Officials said they decided to close the boxes because of a significant increase in the number of animals being left in them.

The shelter provided the drop boxes so you could bring stray animals to the shelter outside the shelter’s normal business hours, but instead of being used for stray animals, the boxes have commonly been used to abandon unwanted animals officials said.

In 2017, more than 1,100 animals were dropped off in the shelter’s after-hours drop boxes, and in most cases, no information was given to the shelter about the animal.

You now have to surrender animals at the front desk during business hours. Shelter staff asks you provide as much information about the animal as possible.

“We’re not here to judge you, we just want to do the best thing for these animals,” said Animal Services Manager, Irene Brown.

From now on if you find stray animals, notify public safety dispatch at (208) 529-1200, and an officer will be dispatched the following morning to pick up the animal.

Local law enforcement officials will continue to have access to the shelter’s drop boxes.