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Raider almost lost his life the day two other dogs attacked him. He suffered several lacerations, a large wound on his ear, and a badly injured leg. Raider’s owner rushed him to the emergency vet, only to find that the high costs of surgery were simply out of reach. But Raider’s story didn’t end there — thanks to friends like you.
His owner turned to the Idaho Humane Society, where Raider could receive surgery, care, and the chance to heal. Now, he’s back on his feet and enjoying his second chance with his loving owner. Watch video…

Sissy’s owner became concerned after her dog stopped eating, her bowel movements slowed, and she frequently licked her vaginal region. Upon further inspection, she noticed that blood and pus were oozing out. These are common signs of pyometra, an infection of the uterus in unspayed female dogs.
She took Sissy to a vet who officially diagnosed her with this life-threatening infection. Watch video…

Hailey was transferred to us in early August 2022 from an emergency veterinary hospital. Hailey suffered from badly broken bones and teeth after being hit by a car; unfortunately, no owner came forward.
Upon exam, we realized that Hailey was blind and severely underweight. We set into action and provided surgery for her broken leg to make her more comfortable. We then got to work on Hailey’s intestinal system, which was irritated and swollen. We placed several tests to identify if it was a medical or food-related problem. Watch video…

Buffy was suffering greatly after enduring blunt-force trauma. Thankfully she was brought into our Shelter Medical Center, and her veterinary exam revealed she had broken teeth and a degloved jaw (where her skin was separated from the muscle). We deduced that Buffy had likely been hit by a car, and our veterinary team quickly worked to make her comfortable and ease the pain.
During surgery, we reattached the skin and stitched it back into place… you can hardly tell now that she is all healed up! We also took time to perform a dental cleaning when we extracted her broken teeth. Watch Video…

Sweet Petunia is one of the hundreds of homeless pets needing orthopedic surgery who come into our Shelter. She arrived as a stray, and her veterinary exam revealed she was suffering from severe ear infections and in dire need of a bilateral FHO (femoral head ostectomy) surgery.
These surgeries are performed to alleviate pain in a diseased or damaged hip. Unfortunately for Petunia, both hips were causing pain, but fortunately, we could repair them simultaneously. Watch video…

When little Sophie was found by a Good Samaritan, she was in rough shape. They dropped her off at our Shelter Medical Center, where we provided pain medication and a veterinary exam. Unfortunately, we discovered that both of Sophie’s legs were terribly injured. One leg was fractured, and we could provide surgery and place two metal pins. Unfortunately, the other leg was irreparable. In order for her to live a more comfortable and pain-free life, our vets amputated her leg. Watch video…

Upon her arrival, we discovered that Luna Moon needed knee surgery. There was just one problem. She’s what we lovingly call a “tripod,” meaning she gets around on three legs. Veterinarians carefully made the decision to operate on her only rear leg.
Luna Moon’s surgery was a success, and she began physical therapy. Our staff and volunteers used a sling to help her walk and build up strength. Along the way, caring donors like you helped provide the food, shelter, and care she needed. After spending a month in our Veterinary Medical Center, she went into a foster home for rest and recovery. Watch video…

Lily came to the Idaho Humane Society after being referred by an emergency veterinarian. One look at her frail figure with continued vomiting, and they knew she needed emergency enterotomy surgery. Her concerned owners brought her in and made the difficult decision to surrender. They wanted Lily to have the best care she could without financial restrictions.
We performed x-rays and found a foreign object was obstructed in her intestine. We performed emergency enterotomy surgery, an exploratory surgery where we open the intestines to remove the object… in this case, a bouncy ball was the culprit. Watch Video…

Soleil was a young abandoned kitten who was found brutally shot.
Thankfully, a good Samaritan brought him into a local veterinary hospital who then transferred him into the Idaho Humane Society. We jumped into action, providing surgery and long-term medical support. After weeks of tube feeding to provide nourishment, Soleil progressed to solid food and was able to go into a foster home for love and recovery. Watch video…

One of the pets we met this year was 3-month-old Scarface, who suffered from a broken jaw and prolapsed rectum. He was swiftly transported from the Duck Valley Reservation to our Shelter Medical Center to receive emergency care. Our medical staff immediately went to work to assess the severity of his injuries and make Scarface more comfortable during his stay. We successfully repaired his prolapse and ensured that it would not recur.
Next, we addressed Scarface’s broken jaw. It was wired, monitored, and rewired until it completely healed. Our medical staff worked tirelessly to ensure young Scarface received the best care possible. Watch video…

Sassy was wandering the streets and made her way into a rural shelter that, unfortunately, was full. They noticed Sassy had striking, bowed legs, and contacted the Idaho Humane Society to see if we could take her in and provide medical care.
Our veterinarians discovered that Sassy had painful birth defects affecting both of her front legs and needed surgery. Thankfully, her procedure went well, and she went into a foster home for rest, recovery, and lots of love. Watch video…

June was a happy, loving little puppy who managed to escape her kennel one day this summer and was unfortunately struck by a car. Thankfully, we were able to give June a second chance at life, and we’re proud to report that she has now made a full recovery! Her mom, Elise writes in to share her story:
“After going to an emergency vet, we didn’t have a lot of hope that June would survive. She had a broken pelvis, and we were told we had two options: to put her down or pay for surgery that could cost upwards of $10,000. We were devastated. But then we got in touch with the Idaho Humane Society, and they said they could fit her in and work with us financially, to help June survive. Watch video…

Grumps paid a visit to our Veterinary Medical Center after his owner noticed some concerning changes in his behavior. Unfortunately, Grumps hadn’t had a bowel movement for several days and wasn’t interested in eating. The next day, he was vomiting and lethargic, so Grumps was rushed for veterinary care. There, he was diagnosed with needing emergency surgery, an enterotomy, where exploratory surgery is performed in the intestines to remove a lodged foreign body. In Grump’s case, he had swallowed a soft toy.
Grump’s owner opted to transfer him to the Idaho Humane Society to take advantage of our accommodating payment options. Read more…

We received a call from a shelter in California, desperate to send us King Vespasian, who had been living in a homeless encampment and tragically had both of his front legs intentionally broken. Mercifully, a good Samaritan wanted to help. Unsure of what to do, they brought him to the nearest shelter. Unfortunately, this shelter did not have the advanced medical resources to provide surgery to ease his pain. Thankfully, we were able to transfer six-month-old King to our shelter to give him a second chance at a new life.
Even though King had experienced unimaginable pain in his young life, he was incredibly loving and craved human attention. We jumped into action, providing pain medication and surgery. Weeks later, we removed his casts… Watch video…

10-year-old Gertrude was brought into our shelter by a Good Samaritan who found her wandering the streets. She was heavily matted with cheatgrass embedded deep in her fur, causing pain and infections in her legs and paws.
Poor Gertrude was also suffering from eye and ear infections. Our Shelter Medical Center sprung to action, shaving her down, removing the cheatgrass, and treating all of her ailments to ease the pain and make her more comfortable. Watch video…

As a tiny and helpless baby kitten, Charlotte was brought to our Shelter Medical Center in late August by a Good Samaritan. She was nearly 2-months-old and suffering from an injury to her left hind leg. We discovered that an object had wrapped around her hock, cutting off circulation and cutting into her leg, but somehow had been removed before coming into IHS.
Unfortunately, the wound was profound, exposing her tendons and muscle.
Our staff immediately set to work, making her comfortable to relieve her pain. Over the next few weeks, Charlotte received nearly 12 bandage changes. Finally, after significant healing, veterinary staff engaged her with physical therapy to increase her movement. Watch video…

Humane Officers responded to a good Samaritan’s call and found a young, injured kitten. At our veterinary hospital, doctors found that the three-month-old kitten was suffering from a fractured leg, and clearly in a lot of pain. Despite his injuries, this kitten was still purring and making biscuits with his non-injured leg, which led us to naming him Pillsbury, after the iconic doughboy.
Veterinarians provided pain medication and orthopedic surgery to repair his fractured limb to enable him to use his leg again. Just hours after his surgery was complete, Pillsbury was back to biscuit making, this time with both of his paws. Watch video…

Claire suffered a traumatic injury resulting in a broken femur and an injured tail. The Louisiana animal shelter that rescued her from the streets knew she needed surgery promptly to salvage the use of her leg and avoid amputation. Thankfully, she was included in a scheduled flight of Louisiana shelter dogs to the Idaho Humane Society, where we were able to perform orthopedic surgery.
After surgery, Claire received lots of love and care until she regained full function in her leg and tail and was cleared for adoption. A few hours after her arrival at our adoption center, she was adopted by a loving family! Watch video…

Lulu and her siblings arrived at the shelter as tiny helpless babies less than two weeks old. We immediately sent them to a foster home where they could receive all the crucial care they needed.
Soon after their arrival, their foster mom, Lizzy, noticed they were congested and sneezing. Some of the siblings responded well to the medication received, but unfortunately, Lulu wasn’t one of them.
Lulu went through three rounds of meds to no avail. She was diagnosed with chronic upper respiratory disease, and her left eye never cleared up. Her eye was causing her great discomfort… Watch video…

Barley arrived at our Shelter Medical Center as a stray after sustaining severe trauma. He sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis and was suffering from horrific pain.
Our veterinary staff immediately put him on pain medication and worked to make him comfortable. Fortunately, his injuries didn’t require surgery, just a lot of time and rest. We sent him to a foster home to receive all the TLC he needed, and he made a remarkable recovery. Watch video…

Daisey made a visit to our Veterinary Medical Center when her owner noticed she hadn’t been eating, was vomiting and had some vaginal discharge.
After a thorough exam, our Veterinary Medical Shelter diagnosed her as having an infected uterus, known as a pyometra, which is a life-threatening uterine infection that affects older, un-spayed female dogs. We performed emergency surgery and are happy to report that Daisy is doing great. Watch video…

Nina was found as a stray and dropped off by a Good Samaritan. She was suffering from a serious injury to her back right paw—one of her toes was in bad condition. Our Shelter Medical Center examined her and determined the wound was irreparable, which meant she needed to have the toe amputated.
Nina made a great recovery and was very comfortable afterward. She can and walk normally, despite her missing toe! Watch video…

Meet Bluebird, a kitten with quite the story to tell. At only 3-months-old, he somehow ended up INSIDE the Bluebird Carwash (hence the name). Thankfully, the employee who found him rushed him to our medical center.
Our vet staff quickly realized he was suffering from traumatic injuries, including a degloved hind leg, fractured tail, and a right tibia fracture. We set right to work to alleviate the pain so he could start the healing and recovery process. Watch video…

A good Samaritan spotted Acorn dangling precariously from a fence. Upon closer look, she discovered that Acorn was a young kitten whose two legs had become entrapped between the slats. They carefully removed Acorn and brought him in for urgent care at our veterinary hospital.
Unfortunately, our veterinarians discovered that Acorn had sustained severe injuries. The damage to his hind limb was especially catastrophic. Very little healthy muscle remained. Amputation would have been an easy solution, but our medical team felt the leg could be saved. We gave his leg a chance to heal through weeks of daily bandage changes. Watch video…

Bruce made his way into our shelter as a stray in the middle of May, just weeks old. Unfortunately, we could immediately tell he was suffering from Neonatal conjunctivitis, also called ophthalmia neonatorum, and would need to undergo a double eye removal. This condition affects 1.6% to 12% of all newborns, and there was no hope for recovery from this situation.
Bruce is ready to live a wonderful life as a blind feline. Adopters are recommended to prepare their home in advance for their blind pet to include removing items that are potential hazards for their new pet. Watch video…

Our Humane Officers found Honk suffering horribly after sustaining severe trauma. Upon examination at our Shelter Medical Center, we discovered that he had a fractured pelvis and believe he had been struck by a car.
Unfortunately, Honk’s right femoral neck (near his hip), his left femoral neck (near his hip), as well as another part of his left femur were all fractured. We stabilized his injuries with wires and pins during surgery and sent him to a foster home to relax and be loved on while healing up.
Thankfully, Honk’s bones healed, and he made a fantastic recovery. When he was cleared for adoption, he only lasted three days before his forever family, Bri and Andy, swept him up. Watch video…

When Sugar came into the shelter, she sustained a fracture in her left humerus (front leg.) Our Shelter Medical Center stabilized this with an external skeletal fixator for four weeks. While she was healing, Sugar went to a foster home for some TLC.
We are happy to report that her bone fully healed, and she recovered wonderfully. The fixator was removed, and she was ready to find a forever family. With a face as cute as hers, it’s not surprising she was adopted the same day she joined the adoption floor!
Sugar’s mom sent us a delightful update, “She totally corresponds her name – the sweetest kitty I’ve ever met. Sugar’s very friendly with everybody and our kids’ best friend. Watch video…

Hollie visited our Veterinary Medical Center to have a large mass on her tummy removed. Her owners had been monitoring it for several months, and it wasn’t changing. Suddenly, the tumor started growing more prominent, so they knew it was time to visit the vet.
Thankfully, we safely removed the mammary mass and sent it off for testing. Fortunately, it all came back negative. Hollie went back home and is feeling much better now! Learn more…

Lady came to us in early June from Canyon County after her former owner asked a friend to watch his pup. The friend immediately noticed that Lady was significantly injured and brought her to the Idaho Humane Society for medical intervention.
We opened a cruelty investigation and set to work providing orthopedic surgery on several breaks, some of which were older than others. We are unsure if the broken bones were due to neglect or if the injuries were inflicted, although the injuries are very suspicious of intentional harm. We have turned the case over to Canyon County to complete the investigation. Watch video…

Before coming to IHS, Veronica had been shot in her left hind limb. A Good Samaritan found her as a stray and dropped her off.
We suspect this injury is quite old as there were no visible wounds, and the bone has since healed. We surgically removed the bullet, and she is doing wonderful! You will notice that she is a bit stiff in her left hind limb; this is secondary to her injury. Learn more…

Nine-year-old Phoebe came to us with severe infections in both eyes. It turned out that the infections were due to an underlying inability to produce tears, a condition commonly known as “dry eye.” We prescribed medication over several months, but unfortunately, Phoebe’s case was non-responsive. She remained unable to produce tears and was highly uncomfortable; copious green discharge and redness filled her eyes. Our Shelter Medical Center performed an extremely delicate surgery on both eyes in which a salivary duct was rerouted from her mouth into her eye, allowing her natural saliva to bathe her eyes and keep them comfortable. Watch video…

Liz made her way into our shelter in late May, along with five other siblings. The poor kittens were suffering from an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) and received immediate treatment. Unfortunately for Liz, her right cornea sustained damage even with the medical intervention, so we performed an eye removal (enucleation) so that she could live a pain-free life.
You can see that Liz is lovely and happy. She loves making air biscuits! We’re so happy to report that Liz and her siblings have been adopted. Watch video…

Sweet 17. Lovely Pumpkin is a senior boy who got to this age by living the stress-free life. Pumpkin is an easy-going and mellow boy who just wants to be in the company of his favorite people. Pumpkin is all about sharing the love, and enjoys spending his time in a comfy lap or being held like a baby. He was previously described as a lovebug who has both a loving and very intelligent personality!
Unfortunately Pumpkin has been diagnosed with Stage 2 chronic kidney disease… Learn more…

This cute little pup is Frank. At three months old, he sustained a fractured femur when he jumped off a bed at his owner’s house. They became concerned when he wasn’t bearing any weight on his right hind leg and sought medical care.
Eventually, Frank was transferred to us from another animal hospital in town so his owners could take advantage of our excellent veterinary care with financial assistance and payment plan options. Our Veterinary Medical Center completed surgery and repaired the fracture.
Thankfully, everything went well and he was sent home for TLC and recovery. Watch video…

After nearly seven weeks of bandage changes, a partial tail amputation, and cage rest to allow her pelvis to heal, she has made a miraculous recovery and finally joined our adoption floor!

Scooby was found by a Good Samaritan and dropped off at our shelter. Upon completing his intake exam by our veterinary staff, they noticed severe lameness on his left hind leg and significant bony swelling.
X-rays showed Scooby had suffered from a broken femur sometime earlier in life and the bone healed incorrectly. Unfortunately, the ends of the fracture healed misaligned, resulting in a bony fragment that was causing Scooby pain every time he bent his leg. Watch video…

Overwhelmed. Hopeless. Lost. That’s how many owners feel when their pets encounter a medical emergency and are unsure how to afford care. Jill was one of those pets in need. After ingesting a nickel and metal pin, we performed an emergency enterotomy surgery in order to save her life.
This was not Jill’s first time ingesting an item that needed surgical removal… it was the 5th! It began with eating rocks in the yard which resulted in a surgery and her loving owners replacing all the landscaping with turf. She then moved on to all sorts of items and was crafty enough to slip out of muzzles in order to get in trouble. From earrings, pocketbook magnets, and watchbands, Jill tried to eat it all. Watch video…

Lemon suffered a very extensive injury to his left forepaw prior to coming to IHS. It required that his middle digits be amputated and then he had to have many, many bandage changes over several weeks. Fortunately, Lemon healed beautifully! The surgery doesn’t prevent him from using his paw to play, run and jump like any other cat, he just needs a little bit more time for it to completely heal up.
He is a friendly boy who just wants to make friends with other animals and people. He likes to cuddle up beside you, but he likes to make the first move. Lemon is still a bit shy… Learn more…

Disco came to us as a tiny 17-week-old pup with an injured leg. After a play session with the owner’s young child, the pup was whimpering and not bearing weight on his right front leg.
Unfortunately, Disco had suffered a fracture and needed surgery to repair her broken leg. Due to the unexpected medical emergency, the owner made the difficult decision to surrender Disco to us, fearing that they would be unable to prevent an accident in the future with young kids at home.
Veterinarians performed orthopedic surgery, and Disco went into foster care with Alexa. Watch video…

Cindy is 13 years young! She came to our shelter with dental disease and severe bilateral luxating patellas. Thanks to the veterinary staff at IHS, she received two new knees… she absolutely loves taking them out for a walk! She gets very excited when she sees the leash and will give you a little dance. Watch video…

Lulu thought she was living the good life. At first, it seemed great that her owner, who had dementia, was feeding her multiple meals a day. This sweet Hound dog, who should have been 40 lbs. had ballooned to a dangerous 90 lbs. by the time she was brought to our care. Her owner was also unaware of the severe ear infections causing Lulu to suffer.
Our medical team treated Lulu’s ears and cured her infections. Lulu was placed into a loving foster home where she is beginning to shed pounds and gain her health back. With weekly exams and weigh-ins at our Shelter Medical Center, she has a new lease on life. Watch video…

This cutie was adopted and we are so happy to share this Happy Tails with you!
“Sweet Romeo, aka Vegas! He is now 8 months old and as spunky as ever! He loves cuddles with his humans, but especially loves waking his dad up at 6 every morning by climbing on his face and snuggling on his neck….he’s so big now but insists on that being his purrrrfect spot.

At only three months old, Rajah was found with neither of his back legs able to function. A Good Samaritan found him lying alone, clearly suffering, and rushed him to our Shelter Medical Center. We cleaned and sterilized the large abscess, and sutured it closed to create a tight seal. We then placed a drain into the smaller fistula. Our veterinarians were hopeful that emergency surgery could save both his legs.
During his recovery, he went to a foster home. While there, both of his hind legs regained strength and full function! He was deemed fully healed, but never made it to the adoption floor . . . his foster mom just couldn’t say goodbye to him and he is now a permanent family member.
Congratulations to Rajah and his new home! Watch Video.

Tinkerbell came to us, suffering from an infection. She was slowly leaking pus and needed surgery to correct the issue.
Unfortunately, her infection was deeper than we had hoped and much of her tissue had become necrotic.
Thankfully, she had a successful surgery and has recovered well! She has been adopted into her forever home. Watch video.

Rusty came to us in critical condition needing emergency life-saving surgery. He was initially brought to an emergency veterinary hospital, but after stabilization, recommended that the Idaho Humane Society take over thanks to our incredible surgery team and financial assistance options.
We are unsure how Rusty ended up wounded, but after wandering away from his loving home, he returned home later bleeding from a gunshot wound to the esophagus, his life holding on by a thread.
Our Veterinary Medical Center completed three surgeries over a week to repair his throat. It took many bandage changes and lots of close supervision from our veterinary staff to help him recover. Thankfully, Rusty pulled through, and his owners will now be taking extra precautions to ensure he doesn’t accidentally get out again. Watch Video.

13-week-old Maggie came into our Veterinary Medical Center after another dog attacked her. The altercation left her with a painful and bulging eyeball—unfortunately, too damaged to be saved. We performed an enucleation surgery to remove the eye so she could live a more comfortable and pain-free life.
She went home the next day to heal up with her family and continue living her life as a happy and healthy puppy. If you need urgent veterinary care, our public veterinary hospital provides several financial programs to help, including grants, low-income discounts, and payment plans.

Leighton was surrendered to the shelter after she had been vomiting for several days and the owners couldn’t afford medical care. Our Shelter Medial Center performed x-rays and found that her intestines were obstructed with a foreign object. We performed an enterotomy surgery to remove a large tube sock that was blocking her intestines.
She recovered remarkably well and was quickly adopted after joining the adoption floor! We are so happy for her and that we were able to provide her a second chance at a happy and healthy life. Learn more.

Morty was brought into us for veterinary care after a Good Samaritan spotted him with a very swollen, red eye. We set right to work and determined the eye was blind and causing him immense pain.
We performed an enucleation surgery to make him more comfortable, where we removed the eye that was causing him pain. We also discovered that Morty had a severe underbite and an abnormal brachycephalic skull shape, where he was affected with a short jaw and nose, similar to a bulldog’s facial structure. Thankfully, this abnormality wasn’t causing him any pain, and he wouldn’t have any chance of passing on this genetic condition since we altered him.
Fortunately, he was easy to fall in love with and was adopted just one day after arriving on our adoption floor. Watch video.

Bennett, this adorable pup, has had a rough start to his first three months of life. He was found limping by a Good Samaritan, suffering from an injury to his hind leg.
Upon veterinary exam, we discovered that he had a femur fracture, and our Shelter Medical team performed surgery which went very well. We sent Bennett to a foster home for a couple of weeks for some much-needed TLC while he healed.
We’re happy to report that Bennet has been adopted! Watch video.

Neymar was found as a stray cat by a Good Samaritan, clearly in distress. He was bleeding from his eyes and nose and covered in scars. His teeth were broken and chipped, his ears filled with discharge, and he had missing fur and bloody wounds on his abdomen.
We took an x-ray and discovered that Neymar had been shot and living with a bullet lodged inside his body. What Neymar had fully experienced while living outdoors, we will never know, but once we began treating Neymar, he slowly began warming up to our staff and showing affection.
We sent Neymar to our WISKR program (Women Inmate Social Kitty Retreat) so he would have a safe place to heal and receive socialization. A month later, and Neymar made his way to our adoption floor, where he met and fell in love with his new forever family. Watch Video.

We’d like to introduce you to Drax. He received a total of six surgeries spanning over many months, but now he has perfect elbows, a normal gait, and no pain or obvious forelimb deformity.
Drax was born with severely deformed front legs called “carpal vargus”, an outward turning of the paw from wrist level. Without early aggressive surgical treatment, he would have had a bleak future. Thankfully for Drax, his owners brought him in early for diagnosis. It’s crucial to not ignore lameness, deformity, or gait abnormalities in puppies; the window of opportunity to prevent a lifetime of pain is sometimes very short.
The sum total of these surgeries at a regular veterinary hospital could have easily exceeded $15,000, but we could provide financial assistance because Drax’s owners qualified for one of our life-saving grants. As a result, the total out-of-pocket expenses to Drax’s owners were less than $2,000 for all of the surgeries combined. Watch video.

Cindy traveled here all the way from Louisiana to receive life-saving and life-changing medical care before finding her new family! She arrived in mid-December needing a hernia repair, mammary masses removed, and biopsied. We then discovered that she needed bilateral MPL (Medial Patella Luxation) surgeries to relieve her knee pain and immobility.
We initially performed surgeries to repair Cindy’s hernia and remove her mammary masses. We sent them off for cancer screening, and Cindy went to foster care for some TLC while she recovered for her upcoming knee surgery.
In March, Cindy came back for her bilateral knee surgeries and went back to foster care for rehabilitation. Finally, in early April, she was completely recovered and was adopted by her foster mom! Watch video.

This gentle giant, Ta’ata, is a six-month-old pup who joined her forever family today!
Prior to coming to IHS, we learned that she had been shot in her right front leg. Upon her physical exam at our Shelter Medical Center, we noted healing wounds and mild swelling, but no overt limping was observed.
X-rays showed a healed fracture of the ulna, as well as metal fragments (suspected bullet particles). Fortunately, no further medical intervention, such as orthopedic surgery, was needed. The fracture healed well and hasn’t created any issues or left her in any pain.
This sweet girl was adopted within 24 hours of joining the adoption floor. We are so happy for her! Watch Video.

This little fella is Scotty. A Good Samaritan brought him into our shelter after they found him as a stray with a badly injured left front leg.
He was too young for adoption when he first arrived so he spent some time in a foster home, where they tried to treat the wound with guidance from our Shelter Medical Clinic. Unfortunately, the injury was too severe and couldn’t be healed.
We performed an amputation to allow Scotty to live a more comfortable and pain free life. He has now been adopted! Watch Video.

Meet Naomi! She made the long journey here from Texas in search of finding her new family.
She came into the Texas shelter as a stray suffering from severe trauma to her left front leg. The injury was so bad, there was bone showing—it was irreparable.
Our Shelter Medical Center amputated the leg to give her a pain free and more comfortable life. Naomi is a little over a year old and full of puppy energy; this hasn’t slowed her down one bit. She is now living her best life in her forever home! Watch video.

Cub is a spunky and loving 4-year-old who came to us from a shelter in Louisiana. Fortunately for Cub, our veterinary hospital was able to help provide corrective surgery to give him a new lease on life. Cub’s orthopedic surgery required a nearly 90-degree turn to align the joins. Thankfully, he rested up and he has made a complete recovery! He has now been adopted into his forever home. Watch video.

Our mission is not just to save lives, but most importantly, to make sure that every pet we save has its best chance at a high quality of life, free of pain and discomfort. At 120 pounds, Lewis is a big dog who came to us with a big problem. Crippled by ruptured anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in both knees, this gentle giant of a dog was transferred to us from another Idaho shelter that could not afford the more than $10,000 expense required for Lewis’s surgery at a local veterinary practice.
Luckily, the Idaho Humane Society is one of only a handful of shelters in the United States with a hospital that has the equipment and trained staff to routinely provide tibial plateau leveling osteotomy, the state-of-the-art surgery for this condition in dogs. Watch video.

Growler came into the shelter as a stray in late November, 2020. Upon medical exam, our staff was concerned of his excessive drooling, his thin, frail frame, and a lack of self-grooming. We ran his bloodwork, which thankfully did not show signs of organ failure or other abnormalities, but revealed that his several missing teeth indicated severe stomatitis.
Stomatitis is a condition where all the mouth tissue – gums, cheeks, tongue – can become severely inflamed and painful. The root cause is still unknown, but researchers hypothesize this could be an aberrant immune response to the bacteria on the teeth or even to the teeth themselves. Learn more.

Sweet Lenny has a new lease on life after coming to IHS in January from a small rescue in Oregon. Our veterinarians diagnosed him with cherry eye and dry eye, immense ear infections, and painful skin allergies that caused hair loss and made his paws painful to touch. We sent him into foster care for rest and TLC between medical appointments. Fortunately for Lenny, the foster family fell in love and made him a part of their permanent pack. Congratulations to Remi aka Lenny! Learn more.

Our favorite days are when we see the result of months of medical care resulting in a forever home. Oklahoma is one of those special dogs hailing from Louisiana who had been hit by a car and left without veterinary care.
Upon veterinary exam, our veterinarians discovered several old scars, irregular toenails and confirmed that his hip injury was old. They were unsure if Oklahoma would want to use his leg again but went ahead with surgery to provide a chance to save his leg. Our Shelter Medical Center performed an FHO surgery (femoral head ostectomy) and a dental, removing three teeth and cleaning the others for a healthy new smile. Watch video.

Lulu came to us in December, morbidly obese weighing 90 pounds, and was suffering from an ear infection. Her ideal weight is closer to 40 pounds, but thanks to our dedicated shelter vet team and her foster parent, they are working hard to provide new chapters in life for this sweet girl.
Originally, Lulu had been overfed by her owner who had dementia. Today, Lulu receives prescription weight loss food and doesn’t get any other snacks. She gets at least one daily walk—which her foster mom said Lulu absolutely loves, but they are mindful to ensure that she doesn’t walk too far or get overheated. Learn more…

Petey had a rough start in life with an accident that injured his eye. He was suffering from an Upper Respiratory Infection as well as a skin rash. After running tests, we discovered that he was FIV+ as well. Once he recovered from his various medical needs, we provided a dental! Learn more…

This handsome 10-month-old pup is Leo! Not too long ago, he found himself in trouble after wandering onto a neighbor’s rural land and was subsequently shot. Our Shelter Medical Center immediately set into work to heal Leo by performing surgery to repair the fracture in his leg.
We sent him to a foster home for TLC for continued healing, and we’re happy to report that he has made a remarkable recovery and is back to his normal pup-like antics. We are thrilled he has been adopted! Learn more…

Precious little Lucy was suffering from infected paws. All four were tender, and she wasn’t bearing any weight on her left hindfoot. But, even though she was in pain, she was the calmest and most loving little kitten.
We provided pain medication and oral antibiotics during her stay with us and treated her paws by washing her feet daily in warm water with diluted antibiotics. Finally, after some serious TLC and close monitoring, our veterinary staff cleared up her infection! She is now in a foster home relaxing while she finishes the last bit of healing. Watch video…

This handsome boy is Loki! He had a short stay at our Veterinary Medical Center after escaping from his owner’s backyard and getting hit by a car.
Unfortunately, Loki was injured and wouldn’t bear any weight on his right hind leg, so they brought him in immediately for veterinary care. Fortunately, we discovered he had only sustained a fracture, and thankfully there were no life-threatening injuries. Learn more…

Five days before making his way to our Shelter Medical Center, 6-month-old Goku fell out of a car. Significantly injured, Goku’s owners surrendered him to our shelter due to the cost of private veterinary care and the follow-up home care needed for Goku to make a complete recovery.
Upon examining Goku, our veterinary staff could see he had a fractured radius and ulna on his right forelimb. We performed surgery to stabilize the fracture with a plate and screws, and he went into a loving foster home for healing and recovery. Learn more…

You have to meet Buddy. His story sounds like an old country song. He is 13 years old. We removed one eye that was causing him pain in our Veterinary Medical Center.
We discovered that he had a heart murmur, and removed two large masses to provide comfort. He has a lot of giddy up, calm, super sweet, loving and just wants to be next to you. Learn more…

Fern was given a second chance at life when a Good Samaritan found her in desperate need of medical care and brought her to our Shelter Medical Center. Her left hind limb had a large abscess wound that was necrotic and swelling as a result. Fern also presented multiple fistulas abnormal (the connection between two body parts) with discharge. Our veterinary team set right to work.
Fern’s fistulas were a sign that an infection was originating through the skin, and after doing X-rays, we could see the bone was “moth-eaten,” a term used to describe bones littered with small holes. Watch video…

Pico was a little grumpy when he arrived at our Veterinary Medical Center, and rightfully so. He had a bulge in his intestines and had a history of chewing on hair ties and rubber bands.
His owner became suspicious when Pico’s mood was off, acting lethargic. He took Pico to an emergency veterinary hospital and took x-rays; they showed that materials were lodged in his intestines.
Pico’s owner brought him to the Idaho Humane Society because he was told that Pico would receive excellent medical care from a highly experienced veterinary surgical team. Urgent surgical cases like Pico are seen every day at our state-of-the-art facility. Learn more…

Sebastion visited our Veterinary Medical Center after suffering from a ruptured abscess in his left ear, secreting bloody discharge.
Our veterinary staff cleaned the area, inspected it, and added stitches to close the rupture site and prevent infection. It wasn’t long before Sebastion returned home for some R&R with his family.
If you notice any lumps or bumps that cause any concern, please seek veterinary care to help to avoid a possible rupture in the future or allow the growth to reach an overwhelming size.


Our Veterinary Medical Center has seen a lot—but this was a first. Kilo was having a great day at home, drooling over the meat being cut in front of him when he suddenly decided it was worth taking a bite for a morsel of food. This situation could have ended very badly, but fortunately, the damage was not severe. He cut his upper lip on the electric meat saw in several places, but thankfully, there was no irreparable damage.
Our veterinary staff stitched him up, and he was on his way home to recover in no time. Kilo is quite the lucky pup, and his situation could have been infinitely worse. This is a good reminder to please keep your pets in mind and their possible erratic behavior when using tools that could cause irreversible damage. Learn more…

Nine-year-old Phoebe came to us in July with severe dry eye in both eyes. We prescribed medication over several months, but unfortunately, Phoebe’s case was non-responsive. She remained unable to produce tears and was highly uncomfortable; copious green discharge and redness filled her eyes.
Our Shelter Medical Center performed a parotid duct transposition surgery where vets rerouted a salivary duct from her mouth into her eye, allowing her natural saliva to bathe her eye and keep it comfortable—basically replacing the tears. We did the next eye after the first successful eye surgery, and with enormous success! Phoebe also received a dental and mass removal while in our care. Learn more…

This little lad, Church, came to us as a stray after suffering a severe injury to his hind end. He had been hit by a car—resulting in multiple pelvic fractures. As a result, his back legs were limp, and he could not stand.
He spent two weeks hospitalized in our Shelter Medical Center. His pelvic fractures were steadily healing, but unfortunately, his left hind leg showed no improvement. He would drag his leg and wouldn’t use it for support or balance.
Our veterinarians amputated the nonfunctioning hind leg to allow him to live a more comfortable and pain-free life. Learn more…

At first glance, it was apparent that something was very wrong with Yeti’s ears. One of his ears looked like it had been dipped in a thick black wax, and the other was beginning to turn. Our vets in the Shelter Medical Center knew instantly that Yeti’s severely ulcerated and abnormal ears meant cancer; they removed his ear cartilage and submitted it for biopsy.
Unfortunately, the results came back as squamous cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer in cats. Yeti was particularly at-risk due to his coloring (less/no pigmentation) and his likely status as an outdoor cat. Learn more…