Our Stories
Pet cat missing? Check the shelter
If your cat has been missing for a day or two, we would encourage you to visit the Humane Society of the Black Hills and see if your furry friend is here waiting for you. Considering the numbers of cats that come through the doors every day, it’s a possibility. In the...
Want to help those springtime newborn litters?
Kelsey Harty, Animal Services & Enforcement officer Spring is here and with the warmer weather comes all those cute spring time babies. From kittens, to rabbits, and even baby deer, we’ll be seeing them all in our communities soon. Here are some helpful hints to...
Holiday Dogs: Shelter dogs find a home for Christmas
RAPID CITY, S.D. - The Humane Society of the Black Hills is embarking on the first Holiday Dogs program to put 10 shelter dogs into temporary holiday homes for Christmas. Ten families who meet the criteria will welcome a Humane Society shelter dog into their homes...
After hours? Don’t leave animal unattended
The Humane Society of the Black Hills took in more than 500 surrendered and 1,000 stray dogs in the past year. Most of the time, the animals are brought in through the front door during regular receiving hours or brought in after hours by the Rapid City Police...
Provide the right shelter for pets this winter
Winter weather is approaching, and all our officers at the Animal Services and Enforcement department will be tasked with doing welfare checks to make sure animals have proper shelter from the winter weather, including the cold, wind, and snow. Are you in compliance?...
Long Range Rescue
It was a long trip for 12 pit bulls - 3 days and 1,700 miles from North Carolina to Rapid City, SD - but their journey started long before getting to the Humane Society of the Black Hills on Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. These dogs were rescued in Georgia, transported to the...
Be aware of snakes to stay safe this summer
Rattlesnakes strike when threatened or deliberately provoked, but given room they will retreat. Most snake bites occur when a rattlesnake is handled or accidentally touched by someone walking or climbing. In the Rapid City area, Animals Services & Enforcement has...
Heading outside? Be aware of the wild animals sharing the space
Spring is here meaning summer is almost upon us, and we all know what that means: fun activities to do outside. But remember, that warm weather not only draws us outside but also some of our favorite wild critters: rattle snakes, bull snakes, raccoons, skunks, bats,...
Puppypalooza is just another Tuesday
Twenty-four dogs were brought to the Humane Society of the Black Hills on Thursday, Dec. 21 – eight adults and 16 puppies from the Eagle Butte shelter. The hallway outside the medical exam room was filled with puppies - some too young to move much, but others were...
The Bob Lemmon Memorial Cat Sanctuary
Barbara Lemmon has made something good of a terrible situation by creating The Bob Lemmon Memorial Cat Sanctuary in the room her husband once studied and worked in at their Rapid City home. Barb’s husband, Robert, passed away in April and left Barb alone in a...

Assisting an animal in need is an incredibly fulfilling experience, and fostering is just one of many ways you can do this. Animal shelters rely heavers rely heavily on their foster programs every year to give these animals a better chance at life. Fostering not only...
Protect Your Pet from Poisonous Plants
Spring marks the busy season for most nurseries and flower shops as everyone is excited to start planting. One of the most common early spring flowers to either plant, or purchase, is the Easter Lily. While beautiful in sight and smell, lilies are toxic and even...
Why spaying and neutering your pet matters
We love animals at the Humane Society of the Black Hills and, last year, we saw more than four thousand come through our front door. You can imagine that with so many animals, there are plenty of puppies and kittens. We’ll admit it – puppies and kittens are awfully...
New year, new challenges
I want to sincerely thank those who have supported the Humane Society of the Black Hills with financial support, donations of blankets and toys, supply drives, adoptions, or care for an animal in foster. And I won’t forget our generous media friends, veterinarians,...
Pet cat missing? Check the shelter
If your cat has been missing for a day or two, we would encourage you to visit the Humane Society of the Black Hills and see if your furry friend is here waiting for you. Considering the numbers of cats that come through the doors every day, it’s a possibility. In the...
Shelters are filling up; time to adopt
I know we sound like a broken record but here we go again: Please, spay and neuter your pets to help reduce the unwanted pet population. Shelters, animal rescues, animal proponents including politicians, community planners, and celebrities have been sharing this...
Summer heat
Everyone in South Dakota has been feeling the heat this summer as temperatures have crept into record highs. Don’t forget to pay special attention to your dogs and cats as these high temperatures strain our days and our air conditioners. If you’re going out and can...
Longest canine residents priced to go home!
The Humane Society of the Black Hills has 10 canine guests that are ready to go home and with a special price of only $50 now might be the time to add one to your family! Starting today, the adoption fee for 10 dogs that have the longest will be only $50. The adoption...
Join the HSBH for fun in the sun!
The annual K9-3K will be held on Saturday, June 11, right here on the grounds of the Humane Society of the Black Hills, 1820 E. St. Patrick Street. This will be the fourth annual event and, over those four years, this event has gotten increasingly better. This year,...
Rebuilding the momentum to serve our community
Two short years ago, the Humane Society of the Black Hills actually closed to the public for more than a month doing only limited intake and outdoor adoptions. We weren’t alone, of course, as business after business restricted public access, curtailed services, or...