Our Mission
Our Mission Statement: We believe in the human-animal bond and exist to support the animals and people of Central Minnesota by practicing and promoting quality animal care, offering compassionate customer service, and providing humane education.
Our Vision Statement: With the help of our community and exceptional team, we envision a time when every animal receives the care they need, and all people receive the support they seek.
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We Are An Open Admissions Shelter
Open admission animal shelters like Tri-County Humane Society accept all pets that arrive at their doors, regardless of age, health, color, breed, temperament or "adoptability", with the exception of dogs or cats that have bitten and broken skin within the past 10 days unless they were previously adopted from our shelter.
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What We Do for Our Community
Located on the northeast side of St. Cloud, we are proud to be celebrating our
50th year serving the pets and people of Central Minnesota. Our animal shelter has grown from a converted gas station to the 14,000-square-foot facility we now occupy.We place more than 90% of the animals we receive - about 5,000 animals every year - and we are happy to report the average length of stay for animals is only 8 days.
We also welcome about 300 customers through our doors each day, and we receive just as many phone calls daily.
We provide services such as:
* Reuniting lost pets with their people
* Offering low-cost microchips to the public year-round
* Compassionately assisting those whose pets need to be rehomed
* Ensuring that pets adopted through us are spayed/neutered, given an external exam, vaccinated, and microchipped
* Providing exceptional care, enrichment, and housing to animals in our care
* Delivering humane education and pet tips for all ages
* Offering pet adoption services that create life-changing human-animal bonds
* Providing inclusive, rewarding volunteer and foster opportunities
* Offering low-cost pet supplies through our Re-Tail Shoppe and For Pets' Sake Thrift
Tri-County Humane Society (TCHS) operates an independent nonprofit animal shelter in St. Cloud, Minnesota. TCHS has been providing quality services to the people and animals of Central Minnesota since 1974.
Some of our services include care for homeless animals, pet adoption, pet lost and found, and humane education. We also provide knowledgeable answers to questions regarding pet care, behavior, and many other animal-related issues.
Tri-County Humane Society's MBAH Kennel License Number is MN140200.
History and Growth of TCHS
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The Beginning
Before 1974, several concerned residents took unwanted pets into their homes, but they could not keep up with the need.
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1974 - Incorporation!
TCHS incorporated on Dec. 11, 1974, as a nonprofit organization to care for homeless pets and to promote the humane care and treatment of animals.
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1976 - Our First ShelterIn 1976, community members and businesses rallied to provide donated materials and labor to remodel a vacant gas station and turn it into an animal shelter.
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Against All OddsThe building had 10 old-fashioned dog kennels, 12 puppy cages and 12 cat cages.
And on occasion, it flooded. -
1989 - New BuildingOn May 15, 1989, TCHS moved into a new custom-designed animal shelter in its current location (8th St. NE, St. Cloud).
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1999 - Adding OnIn 1999, after years of planning and saving, TCHS built on an addition that provided more storage space, office space, a laundry room, expanded small animal and stray housing, separate dog and cat isolation rooms, and an examination/surgery suite.
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2008 - Training BuildingIn September 2008, a new training facility was built behind the shelter for dog obedience, problem-solving, and tricks classes.
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2010 - Training Building becomes Surgery BuildingIn October 2010, the decision was made to stop dog training classes and turn the training facility into a surgery suite for spaying and neutering shelter animals.
With the “No Pet Left Undone” initiative in full swing by August 2011, TCHS became 100 percent compliant with spaying and neutering all dogs, puppies, cats, kittens and rabbits before adopting them out; a goal since inception.
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2010 - More New Initiatives ImplementedLowered euthanasia rates by 52%.
The TCHS Working Cat (or Barn Cat) program begins.
Received grant to track rise of cats and kittens surrendered by using a GIS to identify target areas and then mailed target area an Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM) with information for low-cost spay/neuter mobile clinics.
Started offering "Kitten Stress Breaks." -
2012Added cat portals to cages in cat room, thanks to a grant from the ASPCA.
Received grant from the ASPCA to increase surgery equipment and switch disinfecting protocol to the new shelter and veterinary recommended Accel disinfectant.
Started Return to Field program.
First dogs transferred from Pasadena, California, to TCHS.
Finished 2012 with a 79.94 percent adoption rate. -
Our Great Work Means More Lives Saved
And we go on and on.... The outstanding work of the shelter team continues to result in an incredible number of animals finding homes. Our placement rate continues to trend upward:
2013 - 79.48% placement
2014 - 83.89% placement
2015 - 91.75% placement
2016 - 94.03% placement
2017 - 93.44% placement
2018 - 95.6% placement
2019 - 93% placement
2020 - 94% placement
2021 - 95% placement
2022- 95% placement
2023 - 94% placement -
2019 - Kitty KornerKitty Korner opened in June 2019, allowing for same-day adoptions of cats and kittens! It stayed open for a little more than a year, and more than 500 cats and kittens were adopted from that location.
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Tri-County Humane Society opened its new facility on Sept. 10, 2020, after two days of moving. The new animal shelter features twice as much square footage, and includes greatly improved housing/socialization areas for our animals.
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July 2022 - TCHS Hosts 1st Free Microchip Clinic
Staff microchipped 28 animals during our Gettin' Chippy Wit' It event. Since that inaugural event, we've chipped hundreds of animals for the public!
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August 2022 - TCHS Opens Doggie Play YardThanks to Girl Scout Troop 636 out of Sauk Rapids, TCHS opens a doggie play area for its shelter dogs.
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Marit Ortega will succeed Vicki Davis as leader of Tri-County Humane Society. Vicki Davis will officially retire in February 2024 after 39 years of service.
July 2022 -TCHS Board of Directors Names New Executive Director
Marit Ortega will succeed Vicki Davis as executive director of Tri-County Humane Society when Vicki retires in February 2024. Marit worked for Catholic Community Schools in various capacities in the past five years, most recently as its Director of Development. But she is not a stranger to TCHS: She was the shelter’s Animal Care Manager from 2002-2008; its Volunteer, Humane Education & Events Coordinator from 2009 to 2012; and its Director of Philanthropy from 2012 until 2018. Marit started working with Vicki in November 2023. On her new role at TCHS, Marit says, “It feels like coming home.”
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November 2023: Marit Ortega Starts As TCHS Executive DirectorShe had worked at Tri-County Humane Society for almost 20 years.
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April 11, 2024: TCHS Takes in 94 Cats From Crosby ResidenceOur organization worked with the Minnesota Federated Humane Societies to house cats and kittens removed from a residence.
