Blackfoot Animal Shelter hits breaking point amid overcrowding
Par Kermani
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) – The Blackfoot Animal Shelter is facing a critical overcrowding crisis, with officials reporting that the facility has been at maximum capacity every day since opening its new doors last May.
Shelter Director Amanda Cevering said the situation has reached a “dire” point, driven by a relentless surge in abandoned animals and unchecked local breeding.
Since the beginning of 2026, the shelter has already rescued between an estimated 300 and 400 animals, which puts them on track to meet and exceed their typical annual average of 1,500 rescues.
“Every shelter, rescue, foster homes… everybody’s full,” Cevering said. “And it’s because people keep breeding and breeding and breeding.”
The severity of the crisis was highlighted recently when four puppies were found abandoned in a small kennel at a Walmart loading dock.
The mixed-breed abandoned puppies were discovered covered in filth and feces, suffering from hunger and thirst. While police recovered the puppies, the angle of the security footage prevented authorities from identifying a license plate on the vehicle involved.
Cevering said the dumps are happening “all too often.” She added, “We’ve been at our new facility since May. And we have stayed at full capacity.”
With the Easter holiday approaching, shelter staff are also warning the community against the practice of giving animals as gifts. Cevering said the shelter regularly receives calls from people looking to surrender pets they received as presents but no longer want.
“Do not give animals as gifts,” Cevering said. “And remember, animals are a lifelong commitment. It’s not just until they grow out of their cuteness. It’s forever”.
To combat the overcrowding, the shelter is urging residents to prioritize spaying and neutering their pets. Cevering dispelled common myths about breeding, noting that fixing pets can prevent various forms of cancer.
She noted that with animal shelters constantly at full capacity and not enough people adopting, it makes it difficult to care for and give all animals a chance.
“No kill does not mean absolutely no kill. It just means you stay at a certain amount, or the animals are not euthanized on the premises.” Cevering noted, “Euthanasia is something that nobody wants to talk about. Nobody wants to think about. They want to turn a blind eye to it… However, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture.”
As a nonprofit organization reliant on donations, the shelter is encouraging those looking for a pet to choose adoption over breeders. Cevering emphasized that the shelter’s goal is to find the right behavioral fit for a family, rather than just matching based on appearance.
For more information on adoption or how you can donate to help the shelter, click HERE.