Handles animal complaints in the City of West Columbia and enforces animal related city ordinances through a no-kill policy.

To protect the animals of West Columbia and serve their owners.

West Columbia Animal Services handles animal complaints in the city of West Columbia and enforces animal related city ordinances through a no-kill policy. We handle calls ranging from barking dogs and animals running at large to animal cruelty and abandonment cases. Residents in the city of West Columbia can call the police department for Animal Services during normal business hours, but also for emergencies after hours.

We became a no-kill city in 2012; our no-kill program originally consisted of a partnership between the city of West Columbia and a local nonprofit animal shelter. Unfortunately, after two years of working with that organization they made the decision to end their relationship with the city. In order to avoid euthanasia and maintain our no-kill status, we are currently engaging in a 90-day trial program with the nonprofit animal shelter Pawmetto Lifeline. In early November 2015, Pawmetto Lifeline and the city will reconvene to discuss if the program will be continued.

Thus, we presently take all adoptable cats and dogs to Pawmetto Lifeline to include animals who have been found at large, abandoned, surrendered, injured, and so forth where they can be reclaimed for a fee if they have an owner. Hold periods vary for each case and can range from 5 to 21 days. Once the hold period is up, if an animal has not been reclaimed he or she gets put up for adoption through Pawmetto Lifeline. Our community cats are TNR'd (Trapped, Neutered, & Returned) through another nonprofit organization called Safe Cats Coalition. We are proud to be one of only two no-kill cities in all of South Carolina!

Pawmetto Lifeline:
http://pawmettolifeline.org/
www.facebook.com/PawmettoLife

Safe Cats Coalition:
http://safecatscoalition.org/
www.facebook.com/safecatscoalition

For more information about feral cats and TNR, please visit:

www.alleycat.org/