PETS FOR LIFE
Better Together Animal Alliance Pets for Life (PFL) program is dedicated to keeping people and pets together during the times they need each other most. Whether through temporary hardships or due to limited income, we know that a lack of financial means doesn’t mean a lack of love.
Our PFL team seeks to meet the community where they are, rather than waiting for them to come to us. We work to build a consistent community presence and create relationships through door-to-door outreach, providing pet care while removing barriers like transportation and cost. Our PFL program provides free spay/neuter surgery, vaccines, food, pet supplies and other resources to families in need.
Through the Pets for Life program, Better Together Animal Alliance reinforces its commitment to caring for the pets and the people who love them.
Temporary Loving Care (TLC)
Our TLC program provides emergency short term boarding assistance for families in need. The program is designed to help families move through temporary hardship without the stresses of losing their pet. For more information please contact our helpline at 208-265-7297 ext. 107 or helpline@BTAnimalAlliance.org.
Pet Food Bank
Each year BTAA hands out more than 5 tons of food. This is a critical step in helping to ensure we are providing our community with assistance so they can avoid relinquishing their pets. No questions are asked and the food is available whenever the need arises.
Spay & Neuter Vouchers
BTAA offers assistance to individuals who need help spaying or neutering their cat or dog. Eligibility is determined by the number of people in the household and gross annual income. The process to see if you qualify is fast and easy. Once qualified, you will be provided pricing on discounted spay or neuter procedures at participating veterinarians. For dogs, we will need a current weight. If needed, you can bring your dog to the Animal Care Center where we can weigh your dog at the time you come in to pick up and pay for your voucher. Vouchers can be issued the same day where you will then contact the veterinary hospital to set up your pet’s appointment. Please call BTAA at (208) 265-7297 ext. 100 for more details.
Helpline
This resource is available to those in our community who are facing challenging circumstances that involve their pets. If you believe that you need to surrender your pet, or are searching for answers, we are here to help. We can help with food, temporary shelter of a pet, end-of-life care, rehoming, and other crises that families and pets face due to changes in financial, relationship and housing status. Our goal is to help families keep their pets when possible and guide them through the process of relinquishing a pet when necessary. Please call 208-265-7297 ext. 107 for assistance.
You can also read our Pet Resource Library for tips and solutions to common pet behaviors.
Click here for the Lost and Found Pet Directory
LOST A PET? CREATE A LISTING
Quick action and personal involvement in the recovery process are key components of recovering your lost pet. These steps can help you locate a lost pet as quickly as possible.
* Tell the community about your lost pet
* Post information on our Lost and Found Pet Directory
* Search our Lost and Found Pet Directory
* Post and search other online resources:
– Social Media
– Local Lost and Found pet sites
– Local yard sale sites
– Craigslist
* Post fliers around your neighborhood.
* Tell your family and friends.
* Notify BTAA and local veterinary clinics. Let everyone know your pet is missing.
* Confirm we have current contact information for you.
* Search your neighborhood. Don’t give up hope. (A lost cat is usually 3-5 houses away. They can get locked in neighbor’s garages and sheds, or hide under porches. If it’s scared, it may not come when called.)
* Talk to your neighbors and any neighborhood businesses.
Follow up
When your pet is found, remember to take down any notices you’ve posted online and around your neighborhood.
FOUND A PET? CREATE A LISTING
Here’s how to help them find their way home.
* Check for identification
* Tell the community about the lost pet
* Post information on our Lost and Found Pet Directory
* Post and search other online resources:
– Social Media
– Local Lost and Found pet sites
– Local yard sale sites
– Craigslist
* Post fliers around your neighborhood
* Talk to your neighbors
* Bring the animal to BTAA:
When you arrive, we’ll scan the animal for a microchip. If the animal is microchipped or has a collar with ID on we’ll attempt to get in contact with the owner. Stray animals are held for 5 business days to provide owners time to locate their lost pet. Weekends and holidays do not count towards the stray hold period. The animal is posted on to our Facebook page and an ad is placed in the Bonner County Daily Bee newspaper. If an owner doesn’t come forward and the animal is a candidate for adoption, the animal will be placed on the adoption floor.
Feral, community or free-roaming cats that do not tolerate human contact would not be appropriate or happy in a home environment and will be recommended for our TNR Community Cat program.
STRAY CATS
A stray cat that is healthy and friendly likely belongs to someone in your neighborhood. Cats have a far better chance of reuniting with their owner when they’re left in the area in which they’re found. Less than one percent of stray cats brought into shelters are reclaimed by their owners. For this reason, we encourage you to leave healthy and friendly cats where you discovered them.
Before bringing in a stray cat, please call us at (208) 265-7297 ext. 100 so we may gather more information from you.
If a stray cat is found in good physical condition and appears to be well cared for, we will ask that you return the cat where it was found. This is someone’s cat. If the cat appears thin, sick or injured, we will bring in for immediate care. If the cat does not have any identification, once suitable for adoption, it will be placed on the adoption floor.
Helping an Injured Pet
If you find an injured pet, here are some steps to follow that will aid you in getting it the care it needs. Be mindful that the animal is most likely scared and confused. Never assume an animal will not react adversely to being handled if it is shock or pain. Please handle them with extreme caution and care.
Perform a visual examination to assess the condition of the animal. If possible, try to stabilize injuries before moving an injured animal by splinting or bandaging.
While transporting the animal, keep it confined in a small area to reduce the risk of additional injury. Pet carriers, cardboard boxes or other containers with sufficient airflow work well for small animals. For larger dogs, you can use a towel or blanket to act as a stretcher.
Please call BTAA at (208) 265-7297 ext. 100 or your local veterinarian to see if emergency care can be provided.
Get them home
mICROCHIPS
Microchips can provide an additional level of identification and protection for pets that are lost or stolen — but they are not a substitute for a collar and ID tags. Microchips are detected with a handheld device that uses radio waves to read the chip. This device scans the microchip and then displays a unique alphanumeric code that is registered with the microchip company in the owner’s name. Shelters, animal control agencies, and veterinary hospitals are equipped with microchip scanners. Keeping the registration current is vital to ensure recovery should your pet go missing.
COLLARS AND ID TAGS
Nothing is more effective than a collar and ID tag to ensure that a lost pet is returned home safely. We recommend that dogs and cats wear a collar and ID tag at all times. Having an ID tag on your pet is a crucial part of any emergency preparedness plan. If there’s an emergency, you may not be able to get your pet to safety. An ID tag will increase your chances of being reunited given any situation.
Need help with your pet?
Call our helpline 208-265-7297 ext. 107
or email helpline@BTAnimalAlliance.org