Have you lost your pet or found a stray animal and don’t know what to do? HOV serves as a center of information for citizens who have either lost their pets or found a stray cat or dog.
Please know that if your pet is brought to HOV as a stray you will need to contact your local law enforcement agency before we are able to release your pet to you. Call HOV’s Front Desk, 406-388-9399 ext. 201, for more information.
*All surrenders are by appointment only – please call to schedule (406) 388-9399
Facing the decision to give up your pet can be heart breaking and we know it’s not an easy decision to make. We understand that there are sometimes circumstances that may prevent you from being able to keep your pet, and Heart of the Valley is here to help.
Our goal as a shelter is to be a resource to our community and provide services to keep families together whenever possible. If it would be helpful to your family, please follow these links to explore services we offer that assist with some common issues that many families face and may be a solution you are looking for:
If these resources do not provide a solution to your family, we offer two options to support you with your decision – Home To Home is a tool to assist you with rehoming your pet directly from your home to a new loving home; and Pet Surrender where we will happily accept your pet into Heart of the Valley’s care.
Surrendering Your Pet
When all else has been considered and you believe that surrendering your cat or dog is the best option for you and your pet, we will happily accept them into our care.
Heart of the Valley is an open-door shelter. We willingly accept any dog or cat surrendered. There is no fee for surrenders, but we encourage you to make a donation that will help to cover the cost of caring for your pet until a new home can be found. The average cost for care and housing per animal is $450. Your donation is tax deductible.
Heart of the Valley does not euthanize animals for space or length of time in the shelter, however every animal must pass a behavioral and medical evaluation in order to be put up for adoption. Animals with medical or behavioral problems that are treatable or manageable with reasonable effort and resources will be available for adoption. Animals deemed unadoptable are humanely euthanized.
When you surrender your animal, we ask you to fill out a form to provide as much information as possible to assist us in re-homing your pet. We also ask that you bring any medical records you may have. Please have this form completed when you bring your pet to us.
Cats – Surrender – Owned Cat Form
Dogs – Surrender- Owned Dog Form
When you surrender your animal to HOV, you relinquish the right to obtain further information on the outcome of the animal. Upon surrender, you will speak directly with an Animal Care Specialist and will be able to ask any and all questions you may have.
Home To Home
Home To Home is an interactive software created to help families, people and pets with the difficult task of transitioning pets from one home to another. Nobody knows your pet better than you! In just a few simple steps, current guardians can find a best fit home, and their new guardians can learn all about the pet’s personality and preferences first-hand. Rehoming your pet this way allows them to stay at home in familiar surroundings while you select the home that you think will be best for them.
Please follow Heart of the Valley’s guidelines for approval on the Home To Home interface.
- Can be used to rehome any type of pet (i.e. birds, bunnies, hamsters, horses, etc.)
- All dogs and cats must be spayed/neutered
- All dogs and cats must be up to date on appropriate vaccinations
- All animals must be legal pets within the state of Montana
To create a Home To Home account for rehoming your pet, click here.
Looking to adopt a new dog or cat as a companion? HOV is an adoption center for companion animals. We also have available cats at PetSmart. All animals have received age appropriate vaccines, are spayed or neutered, de-wormed and microchipped. We have a 30-day adoption fee refund for any adoption that is not working out for whatever reason.
The behavior department at Heart of the Valley offers a number of exciting and educational classes for dog owners. Interested in more? Visit our YouTube channel for training videos.
Basic Manners
Becoming a better canine parent will be the overriding goal of this five-week class. The class is open to the public and new adopters are strongly urged to attend. The class will revolve around parents learning canine obedience skills with a stress on creating a higher communication level with their canine. Classes are held at HOV and space is limited, so sign up on Schedulicity today.
Dogs must be at least 6 months old.
Basic Manners Fees
$125 for 5 weeks
What to Bring With You
Vaccine records
Treats and favorite toy
Leash and regular collar or harness
Fun and open attitude
Puppy Class – Appropriate Socialization and Basic Training
Heart of the Valley’s Puppy Classes are designed for you to optimize the important socialization period of your puppy’s life. These classes will help you set a foundation for lifelong learning. Each class will provide ample time for your puppy to interact with new dogs and people as safely and appropriately as possible. Every class the trainer will cover an important subject to help you support your puppy as it matures. Subjects include- Creating Good Bite Inhibition, The Importance of Handling, Play and Reinforcing Behaviors We Like, Socialization and Setting Your Dog Up For Success, and Problem Solving Common Challenges ie. Chewing, jumping up, housetraining, and mouthy behavior.
Puppies must be under 6 months old.
All puppies must receive a minimum of one set of vaccines 7 days prior to the first class and a first deworming. Vaccines required are DA2PP and Bordetella.
Sign up on Schedulicity today!
HOV requires at least 48 hours notice for canceling or rescheduling.
Puppy Class Fees
$125 for 5 classes
What to Bring With You
Vaccine records
Treats and favorite toy
Leash and regular collar or harness
Fun and open attitude
Private Lessons
Heart of the Valley offers one-on-one private lessons with our Behavior Team. When scheduling a lesson please provide information about your dog and the reason for needing a lesson.
Lessons can be scheduled with Meliss Tatangelo by emailing [email protected].
HOV requires at least 48 hours notice for canceling or rescheduling.
Private Lesson Fees
$50 for HOV Alumni Dogs
$75 for non HOV Alumni Dogs
Having troubles making ends meet and need help with pet food? HOV provides free pet food to low income pet guardians from supplies donated by local merchants and citizens. Food is available on Wednesdays and Sundays for pick up.
Heart of the Valley is always accepting donations of dog and cat food (open bags accepted as well). Please drop off donations at the shelter, 1549 E Cameron Bridge Rd, Bozeman, MT 59718. Thank you!
Putting together an educational program and want participants to learn about animals? HOV offers a full spectrum of humane education opportunities. Teaching responsibility and compassion can only help make this a better world for people and animals. We offer shelter tours and presentations to teach children about responsible pet care, safety around animals, and the role of the animal shelter in the community.
Visit our Just For Kids to request a visit and shelter tour. For humane education lessons to use independently of a shelter tour, take a look at our downloadable lesson plans below!
Looking for a Conference Room for your next meeting? Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter has a large meeting space available for hourly rentals and welcomes members of the community to utilize Spot’s Community Room for meetings, trainings, or parties. Spot’s Community Room is a large multi-purpose room that accommodates up to 50 people and includes a small kitchenette. Rental Fee is $30.00/hour and hours are from 8 am to 5:30 pm.
To book your event complete the rental agreement below. Questions? Contact Madi at [email protected] or call (406) 404-3068.
Community Room Rental Agreement
Have you lost your faithful pet and need help with cremation? HOV provides cremation services, either private cremation with ashes back to the owner or communal cremation with no ashes back. Call for more information at (406) 388-9399.
HOV rents live traps to assist in Trap Neuter Return of outdoor cats. HOV will sterilize your feral cats and allow you to release them in the same location where you trapped them. Please inquire about our Spay and Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) Clinics by calling (406) 388-9399, ext. 204.
Clinics for Cats
Heart of the Valley offers spaying and neutering of community cats through our Spay and Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP). Our mission for the program is to reduce unwanted litters and improve the health of the community cat population using recommended Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) practices. Our target population is community cats that are free roaming without an “owner” in the traditional sense of the word. This includes any of the following: urban (street) cats, country (barn) cats, tame cats, wild (feral) cats, cats living in managed colonies, and strays surviving on handouts. Although there is no fee for the spay or neuter surgery, donations are greatly appreciated to help us continue this work.
Care-takers can elect to have cats vaccinated, microchipped and treated for tapeworms for a nominal fee at the time of surgery.
To submit a SNAP Program Application, click here.
For more about the program contact the Animal Services Coordinator at (406) 388-9399 ext. 204.
Clinics for Dogs
Heart of the Valley offers spaying and neutering to whose guardian of dogs meet our low income program criteria, as funding allows. Our mission for this program is to eliminate the risk of unwanted puppies and to improve the health of dogs whose owners are having financial difficulties and would not otherwise be able to have their pet altered. Although there is no fee for the spay or neuter surgery, donations are greatly appreciated to help us continue this work.
Owners can elect to have their dogs vaccinated and microchipped for a nominal fee at the time of surgery.
To submit a SNAP Program Application, click here.
For more about the program contact the Animal Services Coordinator at (406) 388-9399 ext. 204.
Other Community Resources for Spay/Neuter Clinics:
Lost Cost Spay Neuter Bozeman – www.lowcostspayneuterbozeman.org
Spay Montana – www.spaymontana.org
Heart of the Valley takes in more than 1,000 stray animals from our community each year. The first thing we do when an animal arrives at the shelter is check for tags or a microchip. Unfortunately, tags can be unreliable because collars fall off. Microchipping is one way to ensure your pet can be identified if they become lost or stolen and come through our doors. Make sure to keep your contact information up to date with the microchip company so you can be reached when your pet is found.
Heart of the Valley will microchip your dog or cat by appointment during our normal business hours. Please call ahead. We are only able to microchip cats and dogs; for any other species contact your veterinarian.
How much does a microchip cost?
- We microchip dogs and cats for $40.
How long does the microchip last?
- It is designed with an operating life of over 25 years.
How does a microchip system work?
- Microchips are not GPS locators. Microchips can be read by a scanner at Heart of the Valley, a veterinarian or animal control if your pet is found.
Does the procedure hurt the animal?
- Although the microchip needle is larger than a typical vaccine needle, most pets do not realize they’ve received the implant.
Where is the injection site in dogs and cats?
- The chip is implanted between the dog or cat’s shoulder blades.
Learn more about Heart of the Valley’s TNR Program by clicking here.
Each year, HOV cares for thousands of lost and homeless pets until they can go home! We are an open admission shelter which means we accept any dog or cat brought to our doors, regardless of condition or circumstance. That means that pets may arrive at the shelter with injuries, illnesses or behavioral concerns.
We provide incredible care for them while they are in the shelter and our goal is always to get them home as quickly as possible because we know a home of their own is what’s best for them. Our average length of stay in the shelter (excluding time in foster care) is only 10 days!
We are committed to using best practices in animal welfare and shelter medicine to ensure we are providing the best possible care for these precious pets. As a result, our overall save rate is 96%!
We believe in delivering these services with complete transparency so we participate in the Shelter Animals Count program, sharing information about intakes and outcomes. You can see our information using this link: Shelter Animals Count
Visit our resource page for helpful guidance from our behavior team.
