Animal Shelters

Cosmo doesn’t really stand on top of his “igloo” dog house and throw the ball. But he loves to play fetch, and has figured out that he can stand up on his hind legs and drop the ball on top of the igloo, and it will roll off, bouncing across the yard, so he can chase it. The crew at the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter says he will do this for hours if left by himself in the exercise yard.

I was out there last week for a visit and Kip Varner, the manager, gave me an extended tour. On each of my visits over the past 30 years the place was a little better than the time before. To get there you have to drive out through East Lewiston, past the Potlatch mill, and turn right up a gravel road through a not so nice neighborhood, where the Shelter sits next to the back of a large automobile wrecking yard, like an oasis.

The building is spacious and clean with several employees answering phones, working on computers, cleaning kennels, walking dogs, and ushering customers through kennel areas. There is a large room just for cats and three or four rows of indoor kennels for dogs. There was only one cat but the dog occupancy rate looked to be about 75%. Strays are held for at least 5 days before they are put up for adoption. Kip showed me dogs in various stages of screening for behavioral issues. This helps them place dogs only with appropriate owners. A small percentage of the dogs are found to not be safe for adoption and are euthanized. The outdoor exercise areas are securely fenced and clean. The shelter has a modern, well equipped surgery where two veterinarians come on a regular basis to spay and neuter dogs and cats. They also do health checks, vaccinations, and implant microchips.

For a small fee, the Shelter will take in unwanted dogs and cats from the city of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, the Nez Perce Tribal areas, and Asotin County. Law enforcement officers can bring in stray cats and dogs from the same areas, anytime, day or night. You can contact the shelter at 746-1623.

The City of Clarkston owns and operates an animal shelter at the North end of 13th Street, near the Snake River. Jerry Gossage runs the place, with the help of community service workers, and the animal control officer, Donna Manchester.

Jerry retired after a 26 year career in the Air Force, working as a veterinary technician and many related jobs. “His” facility was also significantly improved since my last visit. The office is clean with a fresh coat of paint, and Jerry, even after all those years, was good natured and enthusiastic about his work. They had 4 or 5 dogs there, about half of capacity. Jerry said they took in 173 dogs last year, and all but 5 were returned to owners, or adopted out. The five dogs euthanized were deemed unsafe and unsuitable for adoption. They don’t take cats, yet, but Jerry keeps a list of folks who are looking for cats.

Jerry and Donna work a “staggered” schedule so usually one or the other of them is either at the shelter or available to go there. Stray dogs from the cities of Clarkston and Asotin may be taken to the shelter. If your dog is lost, or to report a stray dog, call 758-2331.

These facilities both scan lost pets for microchips and check for license, rabies or ID tags. Make sure your pet has all of them.