Blackfoot to build new animal shelter to address overcrowding

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) - It's official - the City of Blackfoot is getting a new animal shelter. 

Local News 8 was the first to report plans to build a new shelter were in the works, after talking to Blackfoot Mayor Marc Carroll last month.

Those plans have now become a reality, according to shelter directors. They hope to break ground on the new shelter in April or May of this year.

According to shelter volunteers, the move comes after months of overcrowding.

They say the number of animals they care for in a year has tripled since 2016 and the current building isn't able to house all the animals.

"Right now we have 37 dogs with us and we have 26 dog kennels," shelter volunteer Kamryn Husbey said. "So we still do have a couple of them together and a little bit smaller kennels than they should be. It's hard to keep everybody clean and sanitize and let them all have the right amount of space that they need."

From what Mayor Carroll told us last month, several community members were already lined up to donate to the project.

The shelter is now taking donations to help build the new shelter.

To donate or for more information, click HERE.