Open admission facilities are often government owned and operated, obligated to accept all animals within their jurisdiction. Columbia Animal Services is the only open admission shelter to serve all pets and individuals in true need of shelter intervention within Richland County.

All stray pets are held for five calendar days to allow their owner(s) time to reclaim them. Microchipped animals are held for a duration of 14 calendar days if the microchip is appropriately registered and up to date. Animals with untraceable microchips will be held for five calendar days.

While we’re working hard every day to ensure live release of all healthy, adoptable animals, euthanasia is still an unfortunate reality in our community. Please help us advocate for change by encouraging the people in your life to adopt, spay and neuter their pets, donate to local animal welfare organizations, and educate others about the importance of being a responsible pet owner. Together, we can achieve our goal of becoming a No Kill community.

No-Kill defines a live-release of 90%. No-Kill does not represent a 0% euthanasia rate, but rather, a euthanasia rate of 10% or less. For more information on understanding no-kill or what no-kill doesn’t mean, visit:

https://resources.bestfriends.org/article/no-kill-resolution-guidelines#WhatItMeans 

Columbia Animal Services impact on lifesaving is currently 83%.