07/02/2025
🎉😻What an achievement!
We're proud to once again be recognized by Friends Animal Society for maintaining no-kill status in 2024, saving nearly 97% or more of pets who enter our shelter. This level of lifesaving takes dedication, resources, rescue partners, and community support every single day. Because of you, we have achieved this milestone since 2022.
We're committed as ever to showing up for the animals and saving even more lives!🎉🐾❤
Lewis Clark Animal Shelter Maintained No-Kill in 2024
More than 90% of the Dogs and Cats That Entered the Shelter Last Year Were Saved
July 1, 2025 (Lewiston, ID) – Lewis Clark Animal Shelter maintained no-kill in 2024, according to Best Friends Animal Society’s annual data report .https:/bestfriends.org/no-kill-2025/animal-shelter-statistics This means Lewis Clark Animal Shelter saved 90% or more of the dogs and cats that entered last year.
“This achievement is so much more than a number to our shelter,” Audrey Williams, LCAS Director of Operations shared. “It’s a recognition that continues to require tremendous courage, determination for change, diversity of thinking and the belief that it can be done. It’s driven by caring and compassionate people - staff, volunteers, fosters, and motivated supporters - who see the vision of a community working together to pursue great change.”
The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter never “kills” an animal for time, space, breed, or age. The percentage that is within our no-save includes those who come into our care very sick, who pass naturally or are humanely euthanized when there is no hope for recovery, or an animal is deemed unsafe for placement. The LCAS save rate in 2024 was 96.7% The total number of pets that entered LCAS in 2024 was 1,302.
Highlights of LCAS programs to achieve its no-kill status in 2024 include:
· Foster Program - 39 adult cats; 334 kittens; 27 adult dogs; 50 puppies
· P.A.W.S. Training Program through the Idaho Correctional Institution – Orofino - 45 PAWS Graduates
· Fear Free Shelters Program and Enrichment Program
· Barn Buddy Program
· Behavior Training and Consulting
“We often foster the medical cases that the shelter does not have the ability to do in a shelter setting. We also help with the behavioral cases because they are in a home environment and can be worked with on a much more frequent basis than at the shelter. I don't know the statistics, but my guess is without fosters to take on the cases that would be difficult to either medically or behaviorally treat at the shelter would have your save rate at less than 90%.” Jyl, LCAS Foster stated.
LCAS Foster, Lesly shared, “Fosters also free up space at the shelters. So many animals have to be turned away because there just isn’t any room. We also get experience with the different personalities of the animals allowing us to give potential forever homes more information for them to be able to choose a pet that best fits their situation.”
“It is through the support of our staff, fosters, volunteers and community that ensures that the needs of the shelter animals are met. Together - We are their voice. It takes hard work, grit and compassion from us all.” expressed Becky Sturmer, LCAS Development Director.
Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization working to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters, recognizes this achievement as a positive step forward and one that can be replicated by other shelters in Idaho.
To learn more about Lewis Clark Animal Shelter visit https://lcshelter.org/.
*A 90 percent save rate is the nationally recognized benchmark to be considered “no-kill,” factoring that approximately 10 percent of pets who enter shelters have medical or behavioral circumstances that warrant humane euthanasia rather than killing for lack of space.
About Lewis Clark Animal Shelter
The Lewis Clark Animal Shelter’s mission is to promote the humane treatment of animals, prevent cruelty to animals and provide education to enhance the human-animal bond and to end pet overpopulation through an aggressive spay/neuter campaign.
A nonprofit organization that relies on community support, contributions, grants, bequests, investments, fees for service. The shelter operates with a very modest core management staff and kennel assistants. The community member Board of Directors actively volunteers and supports the shelter operations. We are not a government facility. Currently, we provide sheltering services to the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Department and The Lewiston City Police Department, Nez Perce Tribe Police Department, Asotin County Sheriff’s Department, Clarkston Washington Police Department, City of Asotin Police Department and Idaho State Police. These police departments bring impounded animals to our shelter for care, sheltering and reclaiming by their owners. On their behalf, we hold, care for, license and release animals that are brought to the shelter by Animal Control Officers.
Visit LCShelter.org or follow us at Facebook, Instagram
6 Shelter Road, Lewiston, ID 83501 (208)746-1623
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 5,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every
dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.
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