Animal Services

The Ames Animal Shelter is a division of the Ames Police Department. We are charged with upholding and enforcing regulations (ordinances) regarding the treatment and control of animals in the city. Animal ordinances serve three purposes: 1) protection of people, 2) protection of property, and 3) protection of animals.

The Shelter means not only protecting people from the nuisance of roaming, uncontrolled animals, but also protecting pets and wild animals in their habitats.

The Ames Animal Shelter Staff consists of the supervisor, one full-time officer, one full-time senior clerk, a part-time veterinary technician, two part-time officers, and one part-time attendant.

Animal Services include, but are not limited to:

• Animal Rescue

• Complaint Investigation

• Animal Cruelty Investigation

• Animal Ambulance

• Animal Quarantine

• Limited Wildlife Management

For information about animal related laws, and schedule of infractions, see Animal Code at a Glance.

Shelter Services

The Ames Animal Shelter is a safe and humane place for the care of homeless, unwanted, lost, injured and many other animals, while owners are sought. At the Ames Animal Shelter we promise to love and care for the pets brought to us to the best of our abilities; we promise to make them as comfortable as possible in a difficult situation; we will work responsibly to maintain our 90%+ reclaim and adoption rate! 

Animal Shelter Services include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible adoption programs 

• Lost and found or wanted animal requests

• Seeking responsible owners

• Promotion of rabies vaccinations

• Promotion of alternatives to animal abandonment

• Promotion of spay/neuter

• Protective custody of animals

• Community education