More animals, but fewer people: Great Falls Animal Shelter temporarily reduces hours

More animals, but fewer people: Great Falls Animal Shelter temporarily reduces hours

SHELTER HAS HAD TO ADJUST.{WITH THE WEATHER GETTINGWARM AND PEOPLE RETURNING TOWORK THE GREAT FALLS ANIMALSHELTER HAS HAD AN EXTREMEINCREASE IN PETS IN THEIRFACILITY.}{TYPICALLY THE GREAT FALLSANIMAL SHELTER RECEIVES AROUNDTWO THOUSAND PETS PER YEAR.}{BUT WITH OVER ONE HUNDREDCATS AND KITTENS AND ALMOST30 DOGS.

THEIR KENNELS ARE SOFULL THEY’VE HAD TO TRANSFERSOME ANIMALS TO OTHER SHELTERSACROSS THE STATE.

AND TURNSOME SURRENDER CASES AWAY.}{JACQUIE RICKS//KENNELTECHNICIAN FOR THE GREAT FALLSANIMAL SHELTER: "WE’VE HADSUCH AN INFLUX OF ANIMALS,WE’VE HAD TO TURN AWAY OWNERSURRENDERS.

YEAH, THERE ARECERTAIN SITUATIONS WHERE WEWILL STILL TAKE THE ANIMAL,IT’S A CASE-BY-CASE SITUATION,BUT IF YOU’RE GETTING RID OFYOUR CAT OR DOG JUST TO GETRID OF YOUR CAT OR DOG BECAUSEYOU’RE MOVING OR SOMETHINGLIKE THAT, YOU HAVE TO FIND ADIFFERENT AVENUE BECAUSE WEARE FULL."}{THE GREAT FALLS ANIMALSHELTER IS TYPICALLY OPEN FROMMONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY FROM10 A.M.

TO 4:30 P.M}{BUT WITH A BUILDING FULL OFPETS AND 3 OPEN EMPLOYMENTPOSITIONS THE GREAT FALLSANIMAL SHELTER HAS DECIDED TOBRIEFLY CLOSE THEIR DOORS ONTHURSDAYS.

SO THAT THEY CANGET CAUGHT UP ON PAPERWORK ANDCLEAN THEIR FACILITY.}{THE SHELTER PLANS TO GO BACKTO THEIR REGULAR HOURS SOONONCE THEY CAN GET BACK ONTRACK AND FILL THOSEEMPLOYMENT POSITIONS.}{BUT DESPITE THE LACK OFSTAFF THE GREAT FALLS ANIMALSHELTER SAYS THEIR VOLUNTEERSHAVE BEEN A HUGE FACTOR INHELPING THEM STAY AFLOAT ANDFIND HOMES FOR THEIR FURRYFRIENDS.}{JILLIANVANOVERBEKE//VETERINARIANTECHNICIAN/INTERIM MANAGER ATTHE GREAT FALLS ANIMALSHELTER: "SO VOLUNTEERING,THEY CAN GO ONLINE TOGREATFALLSMT.NET AND THEN THEYGO INTO ’ANIMAL SHELTER,’ ANDTHEY CAN APPLY TO BE AVOLUNTEER, AND WE HAVEVOLUNTEERS WHO DO EVERYTHING.YOU KNOW, IF ANIMALS ARE NOTYOUR THING, WE HAVE VOLUNTEERSWHO JUST COME IN AND HELP WITHOFFICE WORK OR WRITING ’THANKYOU’S,’ ENTERING LICENSES INTOTHE SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, IFYOU’RE INTERESTED IN DOINGYARD WORK, WE HAVE SOMEVOLUNTEERS WHO COME IN ANDTHEY WANT TO PLANT SOMEFLOWERS AND WATER SOMEFLOWERS, OR IF YOU’RE TRULYINTERESTED IN THE ANIMALS, YOUKNOW, YOU CAN COME IN AND PLAYWITH THE KITTIES, WE DO HAVE 3VISITATION ROOMS, 2 OF THEMCURRENTLY HAVE CATS IN THEMBECAUSE WE ARE FULL, BUT YOUKNOW, THEY CAN PLAY WITH THEKITTIES, THEY CAN TAKE THEDOGS OUT ON WALKS,}{TO HELP ALL THESE PETS FINDTHEIR FOREVER FAMILIES THEGREAT FALLS ANIMAL SHELTER ISOFFERING HALF OFF ADOPTIONFEES}{SOC