ANNOUNCEMENTS...
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DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY ANIMALS WE TAKE IN?
We took in 8,353 dogs and cats in 2010. ONLY 13% OF THOSE ANIMALS WERE ADOPTED AND ONLY 6% OF THOSE ANIMALS WERE RECLAIMED BY THEIR OWNERS. THIS ALSO MEANS THAT 6,027 DOGS AND CATS WERE PUT DOWN LAST YEAR. These are not numbers that we are proud of. We want to change these numbers but we need your help! If you have a dog or cat that you need to rehome, PLEASE try all other methods before bringing them here. With fewer than 70 cages, we can't possibly keep all of the animals that get brought here. We try to find as many of them homes as possible but we only adopt out an average of 5 animals per day. There's just not enough room. Please spay and neuter your pets and don't let them roam free. These are the 2 main reasons that we take in so many animals each year. Do your part to help reduce the numbers and help us make a difference! And don't forget that we have many wonderful pets looking for homes!
DONATE A DOG BED FOR A SHELTER DOG
We would like to make our dogs more comfortable by providing them with these Coolaroo dog beds (Dakota is shown on the small dog bed) so that they do not have to lay on the concrete. If you would like to donate a dog bed, you can visit www.jefferspet.com...Just order a dog bed and have it shipped to us at the Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter, 417 Well Road, West Monroe, LA 71292. We are in need of the medium ($23.95) dog beds only. The dogs will thank you!
VISIT OUR KITTENS AT PETSMART
Can't make it to the shelter during regular business hours? We've got kittens at the Petsmart adoption center in Monroe. You can go by and see them during Petsmart's business hours. You can do the adoption there at Petsmart and take your new kitten home the same day!
HOLIDAY CLOSING
The shelter will be closed Friday, March 29 & Saturday, March 30 for the Easter holiday. We will reopen on Monday, April 1 at 7am. We hope to see you then!
OFFSITE ADOPTION - April 27
We will be taking several dogs and a cat or 2 to PETCO in Monroe on Saturday, April 27 from 11:00-4:00 for an offsite adoption. They will be looking for new homes so lease stop by and see them. You can also stop by and get a free pet id courtesy of PAWS of NE Louisiana. Additional tags can be purchased for only $2.00.
LOW COST SPAY NEUTER PROGRAM
Are you a low-income pet owner? PAWS of NE Louisiana offers assistance through their low cost spay/neuter program. Call PAWS at 397-0007 or email them at pawsnela@yahoo.com to see if you qualify. You can also print an application from their website www.pawsnela.org. Please do not call the shelter about this program as we will only refer you to PAWS.
Click on the paw for more tips on adopting a pet... Click on this paw for tips on caring for your pet once he arrives at his new home... 
You must be 18 years of age or older to adopt an animal. We do allow out-of-state adoptions, however, you MUST drive to the shelter to adopt in person. If you are not within driving distance of our shelter, please check your local shelters for animals in need. We can not hold an animal for you. When an animal becomes available for adoption, we adopt on a first come first basis. Since we do not have a history of health records on many of our animals, we can not guarantee an animal's health, nor provide any previous medical history. We do REQUIRE that any animal that is adopted from our shelter, must be taken to a veterinarian within 72 hours to receive a general health check. If that animal is then found to have medical problems, we will exchange the animal or issue a refund of your adoption fee. Please remember that shelter animals need time to adjust from the shelter environment once you get them home, so please be patient. Allow them at least 2 weeks to get used to their new surroundings and other pets. Taking your new pet to an obedience class will help him adjust and will also increase the bond between the pet and its new family. It will be lots of fun for you and your pet! One of the local dog training clubs you should check out is the Ouachita Valley Dog Training Club at www.ovdtc.org.
Adoption Fees - We accept cash or money orders only...
Dogs/Puppies: $60.00 - Fee includes 7-in-1 vaccination and deworming (given before adoption) and a certificate to have your dog spayed or neutered after adoption. 
Cats/Kittens: $50.00 - Fee includes 4-in-1 vaccination and deworming (given before adoption) and a certificate to have your cat spayed or neutered after adoption.
Donations Needed For Animals...
Even if you can't adopt, you can still help the animals. This shelter is funded by the parish but that funding allows few extras for the animals.
You can make their stay at the shelter better by donating any of the following:
Did you know that each day 10,000 humans are born in the US and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born? As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all of the animals. Only 1 in 10 will find a home. As a result, 4-6 million animals are euthanized in the US each year because there are no homes for them.
The solution is simple...spay and neuter your pets. Pass it on and let your friends and family know that they can save lives by also spaying and neutering their pets.
If you need financial assistance in order to have your pet spayed or neutered, please contact PAWS of NE Louisiana at 397-0007 or pawsnela@yahoo.com to see if you qualify for their low cost spay/neuter program. Or print a spay/neuter application from their website at www.pawsnela.org Click on the paw for more information on spay and neuter...
Have You Lost A Pet... Click here, your pet may be at the shelter
All animals that are picked up by animal control officers anywhere in Ouachita parish are brought directly to this shelter. PLEASE drive to the shelter in person if you are searching for your lost pet. Because there are so many animals that come through our shelter doors every day, shelter employees will not be able to verify if your pet is there over the phone. You might also check the list of animals on this website as we are trying to put as many animals as possible there to aid in reclaims and adoptions. Animals that are picked up are held for 7 days to be reclaimed. There is a $40 reclaim fee for the 1st offense and a $5 per day boarding fee. For the 2nd offense the reclaim fee goes up to $50 and 3rd offense is $60.
PLEASE do your pet a favor and put an I.D. tag on his/her collar!! 95% of dogs who get lost without an I.D. tag do not find their way back to their owners. If your pet gets lost, an I.D. tag could mean the difference between life and death...
NEED A PET ID TAG?
If your pet gets lost, a pet id tag can get your pet home safely. You can purchase the tags at the shelter for only $2.00 each! All proceeds from the tag sales go to PAWS of NE Louisiana, a local animal welfare group who provides the tags.
Come Visit Us!
Map of 417 Well Rd West Monroe, LA 71292-0133, US
Heading East on I-20 : Take the Well Road exit (#112). Turn right off of the exit and go past the Pilot Travel Center. Turn left onto paved road (turns into gravel) as soon as you pass the Public Works Department.
Heading West on I-20 : Take the Well Road exit (#112). Turn left and go past the Pilot Travel Center. Turn left onto paved road (turns into gravel) as soon as you pass the Public Works Department.
Ouachita Parish Animal Shelter
417 Well Road
West Monroe LA 71292
Phone: 318-323-4032 (see note below)
***PLEASE READ:Unfortunately, our office phone will not allow us to return long distance calls. We are sorry for this inconvience. If you are calling long distance and get our answering machine, please try your call again shortly.
Email: parishpets@yahoo.com
Hours Of Operation...
Monday 7am-4pm
Tuesday-Friday 7am-5:00pm
Saturday 10am-4:00pm
Sunday Closed
After hours emergencies:
Contact the Sheriff's office at 329-1200
