Escape artist at home? Prevent your pet from door dashing with these tips
Whether you live with cats or dogs (or both), you may understand that door’s can be a tricky thing when it comes to our four-legged family members.
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How to socially distance with your dog
Though researchers continue to learn more about COVID-19, to date there is no evidence that pets play a significant role in spreading the virus to humans.
Got a mama cat or dog with babies? Give us a call!
Got a mama cat or dog with babies and aren’t sure what to do? Give us a call and we will get you signed up for our Single Mama Program! For $80 for cats or $100 for dogs, we will spay your mama cat/dog, provide mama’s vaccinations, and provide medical care & adoption services for…
ASPCA Grants Cats Wishes at YVAS
ASPCA Grants Cats Wishes at YVAS July 22, 2020 – via ASPCA News Spring marks the beginning of “kitten season” which typically runs through October, a time of year when thousands of homeless kittens and cats overwhelm animal shelters across the country. Each year, roughly 3.2 million cats enter our nation’s shelters. Over the years,…
YVAS is a Fear Free shelter!
We are proud to report that Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter is officially a Fear Free shelter! So what exactly is Fear Free…? Fear Free is a national program that provides education to shelters, rescues, and volunteers about animals’ emotional needs. Fear Free empowers animal caregivers with strategies and techniques designed to reduce the negative emotional…
Explore Our Seniors Adopting Seniors Program
Older animals have much to offer and make some of the best companions! Here at Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter, we believe that just as animals of all ages should have loving companions, so should people. Our Seniors Adopting Seniors Program helps place senior dogs and cats, who are 8 years of age or older, in…
What is Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease and how do I protect my rabbits?
What is Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease? Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV or RHD) is a highly contagious disease caused by a calicivirus that affects rabbits. Until 2020, it had not been known to affect North American native rabbits. In February of 2021, the first cases of RHDV were positively diagnosed in Yellowstone County. The disease affects…
How can I protect my pets from poisoning?
With rising concerns of possible pet poisonings in Yellowstone County in mind, here is a list of precautions you can take to cut down on the risk to your pet, signs of possible poisoning, and actions to take if you suspect your pet has been poisoned. How can I keep my pets safe from poisoning?…
Dog Park Safety Tips
Do you love dog parks? We do too! Here are some things to consider to keep your pups and others safe: Most dog owners would attest that dog parks are the #1 place to get your dog to exercise and socialize them at the same time; however, that might not be the case for your…
World Spay Day – End the Cycle, Spay & Neuter Your Pets
February 25th, 2025 is World Spay Day! Did You Know? Cats can reach sexual maturity and start reproducing at 4 months of age. The average litter size for cats is 4-6 kittens. One female cat can have 2-3 litters per year. An unaltered female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens over the course…
YVAS launches new program: Project Reunite
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) is thrilled to announce the launch of its new program, Project Reunite. Beginning February 2023, YVAS will be providing free collars and ID tags for every dog and cat adopted from its facility as part of their new program called Project Reunite. Nationally, less than 2% of lost cats and…
Found a litter of kittens? Remember, Mom Knows Best
Thanks for looking out for the most vulnerable animals in our community! In most cases, kittens don’t actually need to be rescued – a kitten’s best chance of survival is with her mother. First: Take a look at this flowchart, it will help you make decisions that increase kittens’ chances of thriving. Click here for…
Home for the Holidays
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. Foster Home for the Holidays is a special seasonal program that invites our community to open their hearts—and homes—to animals in need during the holiday season. While our shelter continues caring for hundreds of pets, the holidays can be an especially stressful time for animals living in a busy, high-volume environment. Foster…
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.
Improvise. Adapt. Overcome. After careful consideration, Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter has made the difficult decision not to return to our former building and will be ending our lease agreement with the City of Billings. This decision wasn’t made lightly, but the events of September 10th and the serious safety concerns that followed left us with…
Newman Restoration Donates $10,000 to Support “Paws and Rebuild” Campaign
Newman Restoration Stands by Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter During Crisis and Donates $10,000 to Support “Paws and Rebuild” Capital Campaign When a late-night smoke incident on September 10 forced Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) to evacuate and urgently clear its facility, Newman Restoration immediately stepped in to help and has stood beside the shelter every…
The Billings Community: A Paws-itive Place!
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter overwhelmed by community generosity following emergency relocation In challenging moments, the strength of a community becomes clear. Following Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter’s emergency relocation in September, that strength was on full display. “When our shelter was forced to relocate with little notice, we had to rely on our community in a…
We Found our (Foster) Home!
YVAS hosts Open House to Celebrate New ‘Foster’ Home On January 10, 2025, Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) officially moved into its new, though temporary, location off Jellison Road, marking a major milestone after four months of displacement following the September 10th incinerator incident. This transition represents the closing of a challenging chapter in the…
Bingo with Bingo!
YVAS Hosts Annual Bingo with Bingo Fundraiser! Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) collaborates with Bark Park, with plans to host their annual community event, ‘Bingo with Bingo’’, a fun way to spend your Valentine’s Day! This event features an evening of fun, friends, (and most importantly–) gambling! This event is designed to not only serve…
Dental Nominations
YVAS Hosts Annual Dental Giveaway Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) hosts its annual Dental Giveaway each February, providing free dental care to selected pets in the Billings community. The program is designed to support underserved pet owners who may not have the financial means to afford routine or advanced dental care at a traditional veterinary…
YVAS Officially Opens Doors to (Temporary) New Facility
YVAS officially opens doors to (temporary) new facility. After four months of displacement following the September 10th incident, YVAS is thrilled to be in a more permanent, stable home. For the first time since September, our full team is back under one roof, allowing faster decision-making, better communication, and more responsive care—while reducing stress for…
Pawprints in the Right Direction
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) will move to a more stable, longer-term location off Jellison Road ending months of operating in emergency spaces. After four months operating in cramped temporary spaces, Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) is excited to announce its move to a much larger and more stable, longer-term location off Jellison Road. The…
YVAS Enters New Contract with the City of Billings
Three members of the board of directors of the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) met with three members of the Billings city council on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, to strengthen lines of communication and make sure our community will continue to provide a high level of care for our animal friends. The city first entered…
YVAS Emergency Evacuation
A long read on a complicated story. On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter began to fill with smoke, resulting in a complete evacuation of the building – both animals and humans. Immediately, it was determined that the smoke was coming from a contained but malfunctioning burn in the incinerator on site. YVAS…