Missouri News Network

Boone County Animal Control pauses stray dog intakes due to shelter capacity

KBIA | By Emilia Hansen, KOMU 8

Published July 24, 2026 at 8:42 AM CDT

Nick Nack’s dog, Rick, sits on a couch on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at The Center Project in Columbia. Nack said Rick, who is a 4-year-old dachshund and Chihuahua mix, is one of the most constant presences in his life. “He's a very good boy, and he comes to work with me. So, I work in mental health; he comes to my office with me every day to see clients. He is very emotionally supportive and cute, and he likes attention,” Nack said. “He is really constant for me. He comes to work with me, he's at home with me. He's basically always with me. And it's really helpful and grounding for me to have that constant, especially when there's a lot going on that's really stressful, but … because my work is really important to me.” — The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services asks that community members use online resources to help locate owners of found dogs, according to the post.

According to a Facebook post the Columbia/Boone County Animal Control is temporarily pausing stray dog intakes beginning Thursday.

Animal control partners with the Central Missouri Humane Society to house animals it takes in.

Animal Control Supervisor Kevin Meyers said the society is contracted to hold 25 kennels for intakes from his department and dogs taken in by animal control are currently occupying 20 kennels.

"The pause in intakes is to hold the remaining five cages for emergency intakes," Meyers wrote in an email.

Meyers said this has happened before. Last year there was a pneumovirus outbreak and CMHS as well as animal control limited the intake of canines.

The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services asks that community members use online resources to help locate owners of found dogs, according to the post.

Those who find stray dogs are encouraged to post a picture of the animal and a general location of where it was found on the Columbia, Missouri Lost & Found Pets Facebook group.

The Humane Society is currently fundraising for a new shelter and animal care facility due to space limitations and issues with the building, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting.