Founded in 1960, the Humane Society of Utah (HSU) has always fostered an atmosphere of love, compassion and respect for Utah’s pets and is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. The HSU is a member of the No-Kill Utah (NKUT) Coalition and works hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters our facility will be placed into a loving home. There is no set limit on the length of time an animal may remain in our adoption program.

HSU is an open-admission shelter, meaning that our doors are always open for any animal that we can legally accept. In 2014, an expansion and renovation project was completed which allowed the HSU to save more pets than ever before. Through an education-focused adoption process, positive promotion of shelter pets, and our many other programs and services, even more animals are expected to be saved in the future.

The Humane Society of Utah recognizes that the key to reducing the euthanasia of pets in Utah is through controlling the pet population. In 2017, 10,050 dogs, cats and rabbits were spayed/neutered by our veterinarians – 3,665 of which were owned animals and 6,051 were shelter pets. The HSU Clinic also administered 109,935 dog and cat vaccinations to ensure the health of owned pets in the community.

2,616 animals at risk of euthanasia were transferred to our facility in 2017 to reduce the burden on other smaller shelters across the state of Utah and neighboring states.

HSU currently embraces and will continue to expand a variety of programs to save more lives each year.

• Veterinary care and sterilization surgeries at our in-house Clinic for all homeless companion animals in our care.
• Affordable spay/neuter and vaccination services for the community.
• Foster care in the homes of foster volunteers for special needs, ill, injured or baby animals to improve adoptability.
• Humane Education for children and teens about responsible pet ownership, the humane treatment of animals and the homeless pet population crisis.
• Transfer and rescue network of over 124 partner facilities and groups to place more animals.
• Behavior assessments, positive reinforcement training, and enrichment activities to keep pets mentally and emotionally healthy while at our shelter.
• Cruelty investigation of animal abuse and neglect around the state.
• Advocacy for legislation and ordinances that will enhance the welfare of animals in Utah.
• Volunteer program with hundreds of active volunteers to keep all pets healthy and happy at our facility.

Furthering our progressive multipronged approach to increase adoptions and placements of pets, we are constantly improving our shelter. Beginning in 2011, the HSU embarked on an ambitious remodel project to increase holding space and create a more inviting atmosphere for the public. Completed in early 2012 were the much-needed expansions of our Foster Care, Volunteer, Clinic and Administration Departments. “Kitty City” was also unveiled in 2012 – a state-of-the-art adoption area that features our cats in a home-like setting and allows people to interact with their future pet more comfortably. Remarkably, cat adoptions have increased since this new area opened. In early 2014, the “Bunny Bungalows,” a new adoption area for our third-most adopted species, increased the space available to showcase rabbits. In May 2014, the highly anticipated “The Wait is Over, Rover” dog adoption area was completed. Our large and small dogs are now showcased for the public in “Dawgville” and “Tiny Town.” As with the cats, the dogs are more relaxed in the new kennel systems that are separated into five different rooms and adoptions have increased as a result.

Please join us in our lifesaving mission, and stand with us to ensure that our doors are always open for every animal, every day. The Humane Society of Utah is a locally operated private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not receive any tax dollars or government funding and is not a branch of any national organization. We are funded solely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations in our community, and supported by sponsorships, grants, bequests, investments, proceeds from our retail outlets and some fees for service.

The Humane Society of Utah requires significant resources to provide our programs to animals in need. We can’t do it alone. Our mission is a community initiative which involves collaboration and the support of people like you. You can Change Their World!