Affordable Dog Training

The Humane Society of Meeker & Kandiyohi Counties (HSKMC) is a 501c3 non-profit organization whose purpose is to help abused, neglected, abandoned and stray animals as well as to educate the public on the proper care of animals and to promote the spaying and neutering of companion animals.

Our flexible adoption program sends almost two-thousand animals to their forever homes each year. Our doors are open to the public on a walk in basis. For dog meet and greets, please call for an appointment. Please call us at 320-235-7612, no pre-applications  or online applications are available.

The adoption process includes:

• Interview process with your family
• A short Dog & Cat Adoption Form done in person
• We work to make sure each home is a suitable match for the animal being adopted.
• If the adopter rents their home, contact needs to be made with landlord to minimize the need for animal returns.
• Once the application and interview process is complete, adoption fees are paid, your new furry family member goes home with their new family. This typically happens on the same day.

Our 48 Hour (2 day) Hold option is no longer available.

Due to state regulations, any animal that is adopted from the Hawk Creek Animal Shelter by an out of state adopter needs a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Out of State Health Certificate) completed before the animal leaves the shelter. The Health Certificate must be signed by an Accredited Veterinarian. Most Veterinarians are unavailable on weekends for us to have this certificate issued. Please plan ahead and notify staff if you are coming in from out of state to adopt. The Health Certificates cost the adopter an extra $40 plus tax which is paid prior to the animal leaving. This is in addition to the animal’s adoption fee. 

Each animal that goes home is spayed/neutered, vaccinated, micro-chipped, given dewormer, and flea preventative as well as heartworm or FELV/FIV tests, plus examined by a member of our veterinary staff.

View our available pets by stopping by the shelter or clicking the link at the top of this page labeled "Adoptable Pets". Contact the shelter to verify availability. You can also see our pets on www.adoptapet.com

Adoption Fees 2024

We take in surrendered/relinquished pets whose owners are no longer able to care for them. We ask that people call in to make arrangements and/or an appointment as space is limited. If we are full we will put the owner on a "surrender" list. We ask for a donation to help us get the pet ready to be adopted. Fees are dependent on the type of animal. We do not have a surrender fee. Please call the shelter, you may leave a message if we are not open at 320-235-7612. We will then ask that you fill out our Dog Surrender or Cat Surrender form in advance prior to your appointment, but can be filled out at the shelter as well.

**Please don't fill out a surrender form unless an appointment is made with a shelter staff. There will be a wait time, call to get on our surrender list.

Other resources to find shelters and rescues:

• www.dogrescuemn.org
• www.bittykittybrigade.org/rescues

Download Dog Surrender Form

Download Cat Surrender Form

You could become a Foster Care Home for an animal in need...The perfect opportunity to enjoy the company of a rescued shelter animal without the commitment of adoption! Many are waiting now for your call! If you are interested in becoming a foster home for an animal in need, please contact the shelter at shelter@thehskmc.com or call us at 320-235-7612.

• We ask you to fill out an Foster Care Application and read the Foster Care Agreement.
• Must Live within 30 miles from shelter for veterinary care. (some exceptions are given)
• Once completed, please drop off at the shelter or mail it to: The Hawk Creek Animal Shelter, PO Box 709, Willmar, MN 56201
• When everything has been approved, we will contact you and discuss the expectations of fostering and answer your questions. The longest typical foster for kittens is 8 weeks and for dogs, can be 2 to 3 months.

Download Foster Application

We launched our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program on June 1, 2021 at the shelter for individuals who meet the appropriate guidelines. Please see guidelines below. Call the shelter to get on the surgery schedule. This program has to be pre-paid, so be ready to pay over the phone or in person to get on our surgical schedule. Our typical surgery days will be Monday and Thursday and pick up of your pet is the same day. We accept credit card (+3% card fee), venmo, or in person. This payment is non refundable. "No show" appointments get one chance to reschedule or the payment is forfeited.

For individuals who don't qualify for our assistance program, when funds are available, we offer an assistance program to help with the spay/neuter of animals within Kandiyohi and Meeker County. If you live in the Kandiyohi and Meeker County area and use a veterinarian in those counties, you can use the coupon below and contact the shelter with any questions you might have. This is not used in conjunction with the assistance program, it is separate for those who don't qualify.

There is also a mobile unit in MN, please check out MN Snap at www.mnsnap.org to find out where the unit will be and sign up on their website.

Kandiyohi/Meeker County download coupon (cannot combine services)

Assistance Guidelines

Anesthetic Overview

Aftercare Instructions Overview

We can microchip your pet for $35.00 (plus tax). Contact the shelter at 320-235-7612 for more information and set up an appointment.

How it Works

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. It consists of a tiny computer chip housed in a type of glass made to be compatible with living tissue. The microchip is implanted between the dog's shoulder blades under the skin with a needle and special syringe. The process is similar to getting a shot. Little to no pain is experienced - most dogs do not seem to even feel it being implanted. Once in place, the microchip can be detected immediately with a handheld device that uses radio waves to read the chip. This device scans the microchip, and then displays a unique alphanumeric code. Once the microchip is placed, the dog will be registered with the microchip company .. Then, the dog can be traced back to the owner if found. This is not a GPS tracker.

Things You Should Know

• Microchips are designed to last for the life of a dog. They do not need to be charged or replaced.
• Some microchips have been known to migrate from the area between the shoulder blades, but the instructions for scanning emphasize the need to scan the dog’s entire body.
• Hawk Creek will scan any dog for no charge.
• A microchipped dog can be easily identified if found by a shelter or veterinary office in possession of a scanner. However, some shelters and veterinary offices do not.
• Hawk Creek Animal Shelter registers your chip for you which is no extra charge.

Congratulations!

Thank you for adopting one of our dogs, or for getting a new family member you would like to help have great manners. We have a wonderful opportunity for not only your family but to make a lasting relationship with your new dog!!

Maybe this is your first time or maybe you are adding to your crew, either way, we are so excited. We want to make sure that you are prepared to be the very best doggy parent you can be and offer you an amazing resource.

Being a responsible dog owner ensures that you provide a plan to train your canine companion to be the calm, well-mannered and the best behaved doggie that you could ever want. A trained dog is less stressful, not only in the beginning, but for life. You have to do the work and stay committed. They deserve it!

Start training them the day they come home and do it from the comfort of your own house. Online training is one thing, but an entire lifetime membership is a whole new adventure for you and your dog. Please get started today, and make a plan to set you both up for success!

Visit www.baxterandbella.com and use coupon code: HAWKCREEK for 25% OFF. 

That means for $178, you can feel confident that you are giving your pup and your family the relationship you desire for a lifetime of fun, excitement and happiness! Please know the Lifetime Unlimited Membership is a one-time purchase that never expires and includes unlimited access to everything they offer, for example:

• 75+ lessons
• hundreds of how-to videos
• printable charts & checklists
• socialization ideas & best practices
• training games & activities
• unlimited LIVE! one-on-one professional help
• ongoing virtual Events, Classes and Courses and so much more!

We generally run 4 vaccination clinics per year - In the spring and fall, in Litchfield and Willmar. Approximately 180 animals and their owners benefited from this service. These clinics are open to the public. Animals are examined by a local Veterinarian who is on site to administer Distemper and Rabies vaccinations to pets. No other vaccines are available. Microchips and nail trims are offered as well. No appointments are necessary. You'll find the dates of these clinics on our main page on our calendar of events, along with the pricing. These services are meant for individuals with limited income as to not discourage individuals from seeing their local vet clinics. No extensive physical are performed, please see your local vet if your animal isn't feeling well.

By law, we must hold a stray animal for 5 business days so that the owner has the opportunity to claim their pet. After 5 days, the animal becomes the property of the Humane Society. The animal is evaluated, microchipped, vaccinated and spayed or neutered and is put on the adoption floor. For dogs, we also provide a heartworm Test and for cats, we provide a FELV/FIV test. No animal has a time limit, age restriction, nor space constituents. All our animals are adopted or placed in rescue when necessary.

All adoptable animals are placed on the worldwide shelter and rescue platform Petfinder.com.

If you have lost or found a pet, please use the website called Petcolove.org and place the animal on the site. You will need a good photo, brief description of where lost/found, and basic info. You will make a log-in and password as well. You may call 320-235-7612 to see if your animal has been picked up and brought in and we will check, but will refer you to placing the animal on Petcolove.org as you can see all our animals waiting to be claimed.

Please never keep an animal that you have found, it is illegal and that animal's family may be searching for him/her. Please come for a free microchip check and you can place your name on the form to be contacted when the animal is up for adoption, but please give the rightful owner time to find their pet.

 Photographs are a life saver, please take your pets photo now so you have an updated one.

To claim your pet, a photograph will be required or driver's license if the animal is legally microchipped. There are fees involved, such as an impound fee, sheriff fee (when applicable), boarding fee, and other applicable fees if it applies (such as medical care). Fees are to be paid in cash or by card, no checks are allowed. Fees are paying for us to shelter, feed and provide care for your pet, if a sheriff picks up your pet, we have fees to pay them. We cannot provide boarding services for your pet.

We receive complaints about the care of animals and we refer those calls to law enforcement.  Please call your local non-emergency number to have police look into the situation. Willmar non-emergency line is 320-235-2244, local police enforce within city limits and Kandiyohi Sherriff enforce rural Kandiyohi county. We do go out and assist officers on animal complaints when asked for assistance from law enforcement. We have no jurisdiction on checking on the welfare of animals or seizing an animal from the home. Please don't hesitate to call law enforcement and you may be anonymous as well. Most calls can be handled by talking with the owners about proper care of their pet. The Petfinder website has a library with a lot of animal care tips. If you would like to reach out and learn more about teaching school aged children about shelter pets and proper care of pets, reach out to Lacey at communityoutreach.hskmc@gmail.com

At times we will get pet food donated that we make available for families in need. When this food is available, come in and see if we have any to give out. This is not the food that is being fed to our shelter animals. There is also no certain brand we can guarantee to you and no questions are asked of you. Please don't take advantage of this food shelf if you can afford your own pet food.  Only dry cat and dog food are available. We cannot provide litter or canned food. Thank you