Despite being the 6th largest county in Idaho with over 92,000 residents, Bannock County relies on just one single animal shelter to handle the entire region's intake. Meanwhile, smaller neighboring regions like Blackfoot and Idaho Falls utilize multiple layered shelter networks to split the burden. Pocatello taxpayers and animals deserve a modern, multi-tiered infrastructure that meets our growing community's needs.
Furthermore, the general public in Pocatello has been priced out of basic pet care. Most of our local veterinary clinics have gone corporate, raising prices to a threshold that working families simply cannot afford. As a result, Pocatello residents are driving out of town—spending their hard-earned dollars in Blackfoot, American Falls, and Idaho Falls—just to receive affordable care. We are actively exporting our economic dollars to neighboring communities.
We urge the City of Pocatello to partner with Smitten Kitten Rescue to establish Project MeowHaus—a permanent, multi-species nonprofit animal rescue and community resource center.
We support a public-nonprofit partnership where the City of Pocatello identifies underutilized, surplus, or tax-acquired land to be made available via a long-term, nominal ($1/year) lease.
By signing this petition, you recognize that Project MeowHaus will directly benefit our city by:
• Saving Taxpayer Dollars: Operating entirely on private donations, corporate sponsors, and national infrastructure grants—saving municipal funds by acting as a relief pipeline for overcrowded city shelters.
• Bringing Pet Care Dollars Back to Pocatello: Providing an affordable, non-profit community veterinary option that keeps local dollars inside the Pocatello economy so families don't have to travel out of town for basic care.
• An Attached Public Cat Café: A welcoming community hub where locals and highway tourists can relax and meet adoptable cats—boosting adoption rates, funding our operations, and attracting travelers along the I-15 and I-86 corridors.
• Enriching Our Community: Creating a beautiful, safe community dog park and walking trails for public recreation and tourism at zero cost to the city parks budget.
• A Working Cat Barn Sanctuary: A dedicated permanent haven providing a safe, humane placement for non-traditional working cats on local ranches and farms.
This partnership is a zero-risk, high-reward solution for Pocatello. It contains a strict reversionary clause ensuring that if operations ever cease, all land and structural improvements immediately return to city ownership at no cost to the public.
Please stand with local taxpayers, families, and animals. Support Project MeowHaus and unlock the future of animal welfare in Pocatello.