History | Mission | Meet the Staff | Funding | Locations/Hours

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa Inc. (ARL) is Iowa's largest nonprofit animal shelter, caring for many thousands of pets each year. The ARL serves people and pets from across the state of Iowa through its programs, which include pet adoption, humane education, pet behavior training, spay/neuter, animal cruelty intervention and much more.

History
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL) has grown dramatically since its founding in 1926 — expanding its programs that serve both people and homeless animals across Iowa. The most obvious growth is the number of animals the ARL provides shelter and care for each year. Intakes have increased annually from a few thousand animals a decade ago to over 19,000 animals in 2008.

Other areas of growth include the ARL’s programs designed specifically to address the reasons animals end up in shelters, including spay/neuter, behavior training, and humane education programs. For example, the ARL’s humane education program does more than offer classroom presentations and tours to community groups and schools. The ARL also has a theatrical presentation for assembly presentations to large groups of students including entire schools as well as a mobile puppet show. The ARL’s positive reinforcement training program has expanded to offer year-round classes, as well as free behavior advice for dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets. The behavior program has also started a collaboration with the state prison system, where inmates help teach basic manners to dogs and cats to increase the pets’ adoptability. The shelter continues to spay and neuter all dogs, cats, rabbits, ferrets and pigs that are adopted from our shelter — some 5,000 animals annually. Additionally, the ARL offers a Spay the Mother program, where free dog/cat spay certificates are provided to owners so they can spay their pets and prevent future unwanted litters.

In addition to the animals that come through the ARL’s doors, the ARL also serves the people of Iowa through its many services. For example, in 2008…

• 10,000+ stray animals were brought to the ARL from more than 61 counties and 16 states.
• 4,900+ individuals or families adopted pets from the ARL.
• 1,955 families reclaimed their lost pets from the ARL. 
• 7,000+ adults and children were provided humane education programs and/or animal assisted therapy visits.
• 5,000+ people received pet behavior counseling or training from the ARL.
• 850+ people from across Iowa reported suspected cases of animal abuse or neglect to the ARL's cruelty intervention coordinator. The intervention coordinator helps provide appropriate intervention by educating individuals on proper care and treatment of their animals and working with local law enforcement to initiate legal intervention on animals' behalf.  Our coordinator has responded to calls from 68 counties.
• 1,216 adults and children volunteered their time to help the animals.

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Mission
To promote animal welfare, the human animal bond, and prevent the overpopulation of pets.

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Meet the Staff
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa depends on its small, dedicated staff to care for the thousands of pets that come through the ARL's doors each year. The ARL also relies on the hundreds of dedicated volunteers who help operate the shelter and care for the animals daily. The ARL is governed by a volunteer board of directors.

ARL Staff

• Candy Bell: Database Coordinator, Main Shelter, 473-9107 
• Dr. Greg Berry: Staff Veterinarian, Animal Care & Control Center, 284-6905
• Dr. Leah Braas: Staff Veterinarian, Main Shelter, 473-9105
• Susan Bade: Humane Educator, Main Shelter, 473-9111
• Dr. Dan Campbell: Chief Staff Veterinarian, Main Shelter, 473-9105
• Josh Colvin: Animal Care & Control Center Operations Manager & Cruelty Intervention Coordinator, 284-6905
• Tom Colvin: Executive Director, Main Shelter, 473-9104
• Mary Ellsworth: Communications & Community Outreach Coordinator, Main Shelter, 473-9116
• Julie Lofdahl: Events & Fundraising Coordinator, Main Shelter, 473-9119
• Gloria Shipman: Accountant, Main Shelter, 473-9118 
• Sara Sommerlot: Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director, Main Shelter, 473-9104
• Paula Sunday: Pet Behavior Counselor, Main Shelter, 473-9108 
• Joy Talmon: Volunteer Coordinator, Main Shelter, 473-9110 
• Megan Wiedmann: Veterinary Technician
• Scott Wilson: Shelter Personnel Supervisor, 473-9114
• Animal Care Technicians, ARL Main
• Animal Care Technicians, ARL Animal Care & Control Center
• ARL Main Adoption Counselors/Client Services
• ARL West Adoption Counselors
• ARL South Adoption Counselors 

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Funding
The Animal Rescue League is a nonprofit organization dependent on individual and corporate contributions to care for its animals. The ARL receives no state, federal or United Way funding.
The ARL takes seriously the investments of its donors and supporters for the care of the animals. The ARL, governed by a volunteer board of directors, adheres to standard accounting practices; conducts an annual independent audit; and carefully and frugally manages its resources in order to care for as many animals as possible for decades to come. The ARL has cared for Iowa’s homeless animals since 1926.
The ARL, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, has received awards and membership from the Iowa Better Business Bureau, as well as received high marks by independent charity watch organizations including www.charitynavigator.com.

Learn more about how to make a donation to the ARL today!

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Locations/Hours

All ARL Locations are closed on the following holidays: New Year's Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

ARL Main (Administration)
5452 N.E. 22nd St.
Des Moines, IA 50313
Phone: 515/473-9101
Fax: 515/262-2612
E-mail: arl@arl-iowa.org

Hours:
Monday through Friday for adoptions from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday for adoptions from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Adoptions are processed a minimum of 30 minutes before closing.

To surrender an animal, the ARL Main location is open the following hours:
Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

View a map courtesy of Mapquest.

How to get here:
The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is located in northeast Des Moines at 5452 N.E. 22nd St. To get to the ARL, take I-80 to the Northeast 14th Street exit. At the stoplights at the end of the ramp, turn north and drive to Northeast 54th Street. Turn right (east) onto Northeast 54th Street and go about 1 mile. The ARL is located at the intersection of Northeast 54th Street and Northeast 22nd Street on the north side of the road.

ARL West
1500 22nd St.
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Phone: 515/440-0979
(Located inside Iowa Pet Foods and Seascapes)

ARL West is strictly an adoption location and does not provide for animal dropoffs.

Hours:
Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

View a map courtesy of Mapquest.

How to get here:
ARL West is located inside Iowa Pet Foods and Seascapes at 1500 22nd St. To get to Iowa Pet Foods and ARL West, take I-235 to the 22nd Street exit. At the stoplights at the end of the ramp go north to the first set of stoplights. Take a left into the shopping center. Iowa Pet Foods and ARL West are located in the strip mall. You can also call (515) 440-0979 for additional directions.

ARL South
1111 E. Army Post Road
Des Moines IA 50315
Phone: 515/285-9870
(Located inside Southridge Mall at the west end, across from Carnival Shoes.)

ARL South is strictly an adoption location and does not provide for animal dropoffs.

Currently the ARL offers dogs for adoption at the ARL South location on weekends only. Cats, rabbits and other small animals are available for adoption at the ARL South location 7 days a week.

Hours:
Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

View a map courtesy of Mapquest.

ARL Petsmart in Ankeny
1715 Delaware Ave.
Ankeny, IA 50021
Phone: 515/289-0667
(Located in the back of the Ankeny Petsmart store)

ARL Petsmart is strictly an adoption location and does not provide for animal dropoffs.

Hours:
Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

View a map courtesy of Mapquest.

ARL Animal Care and Control Center
1615 SE. 14th St.
Des Moines, IA 50315
Phone: 515/243-4526 or 515/284-6905
(formerly the city of Des Moines Animal Shelter)

ARL ACCC does NOT have animals for adoption. The ACCC only has stray animals from the city of Des Moines. These animals are not yet ready for adoption. Des Moines residents may surrender stray animals at this location. Des Moines residents wishing to surrender their own animals to the ARL must bring them to ARL Main.  

Hours:
Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

View a map courtesy of Mapquest.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa welcomes comments and suggestions about any of our services and programs. Please contact us with your comments.

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