Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, Inc. Entering our shelter you are greeted by the smiling faces of our staff and our welcoming committee of furry four legged friends. Our staff of 11 employees and any number of critters meet the growing needs of the animals and people in our community. It is with immense gratitude that we receive emails, letters, and donations of support. Working in an animal shelter is the most rewarding of professions. As an “open door” shelter that works hand in hand with Billings Animal Control, we are privileged to participate in all the realities of animal ownership. We help folks who have lost animals and overjoyed to find them safe at Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS). We hold the hands and provide tissue for the tears of folks whose lives have changed and must entrust their animal to this staff in hopes of finding a safe home for their family member. We dwell in the moments of great excitement as this same animal is adopted and moves to its new home. We pray the fit is right, that we have gleaned enough information from the potential owner to partner them with the perfect critter. And we reserve the right to deny adoptions in the best interest of the animal. We receive animals with all kinds of needs. We
provide extensive medical treatment from medications to surgeries and also behavioral training that will help these animals be placed in new homes. We embrace the community and their animals in order to provide the best care possible. We know that being absolutely honest about each animal is vital for the trust of the community and the success of the animal. We know that each contact we have with the public is an opportunity to educate, to impart compassion and for us, as a staff, to learn. We know that working at YVAS is a gift, a privilege bestowed upon us. 2013 has been a year of change and improvements for our animals. We added a “Private Cat Intake Room”, to reduce stress for cats entering our shelter. We completed a major renovation of our Canine Play Yards adding five additional areas. We remodeled the fencing to eliminate the digging under and climbing over that so many dogs are good at. Our Foster Program continues to grow for kittens, puppies, and adult animals that need special care or behavior work. Lovable Pets Learning Center partnered with YVAS in providing any adopted dog from YVAS a 50% fee reduction in their training programs. The Adoption Partnership with PetSmart
has been very successful for adoptions of cats. The growth of our Volunteer Program has exceeded our expectations. Let me be clear… none of this is possible without the financial support of the wonderful folks in our area. 2014 will be another exciting year for YVAS. We will have our 2nd annual “My Furry Valentine Event” in February and will enjoy spending another great evening with our friends and supporters. Also, with the growth of Billings and Yellowstone County, with the increase of population, we are exploring avenues to increase our animal capacity. We remain committed to our community, the animals and people who we serve. The projects that we are looking forward to are only made possible by grants, and the financial donations that we receive from our supporters. We welcome any and all support you can give to us. Thank you for supporting YVAS.
You can make a difference….. Your friend’s and neighbor’s generous donations to Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter created a story of hope for Rocco and Sylvester, as well as over 1500 other critters who needed homes. SYlVeSTeR BefORe Being AdOPTed
ROccO BefORe Being AdOPTed
ROccO nOw 1735 monad rd COMMUNITY OF GIVING 2013
This holiday season and into the new year the demand to find homes for lonely and unwanted animals in your own community is greater than ever.
SYlVeSTeR nOw
Make a difference today by donating to Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter at: www.yvas.org or send your check to YVAS, PO Box 20920, Billings, MT 59104 27