Mission
The Lemhi County Humane Society (LCHS) owns and operates the Salmon Animal Shelter, where we provide high quality sheltering services for homeless companion animals from Lemhi County. The LCHS also provides funds for public spay and neuter programs in an attempt to decrease the number of dogs and cats entering our shelter. We are also the first line of defense against animal abuse and neglect, and work closely with law enforcement officials to ensure that all animals in Lemhi County are treated in a kind and humane manner.
You can help – donate today!
The Lemhi County Humane Society is a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) organization Fed ID# 82-0327764. We depend on donations to help fund our operating costs, and are grateful for donations of any size. If you wish to help by making a tax-deductible contribution, you may donate online:
If you’re not comfortable donating online, send a check the old-fashioned way to:
Lemhi County Humane Society
PO Box 1918 Salmon, ID 83467
History of the Lemhi County Humane Society
The Lemhi County Humane Society got its start when, in the early 1970’s, a local high school student voiced his concerns regarding the state of the local city animal pound to his teacher, Kay Stone. She listened and shared his concerns with other citizens of Lemhi County. Several locals then joined together to form the Lemhi County Humane Society (L.C.H.S.), which was incorporated in 1977.
Initially there was a drive to raise funds but it was quickly recognized that there needed to be a continuous flow of income in order to run the Society’s animal shelter. It was decided that a thrift store would be a good money maker. A contest was held to name the thrift store, and it was a high school senior who suggested the winning name: Rags & Wags. Originally located in a shack on Shoup Street, the board of L.C.H.S. soon realized that a better structure was warranted. The board purchased a more suitable building closer to the downtown area, known as Old Blue, which is where Rags & Wags was located until recently. In the fall of 2009 L.C.H.S. entered into an agreement with the Odd Fellows Rocky Mountain Lodge #5 to purchase their Main Street building to serve as the new home of Rags & Wags.
The Odd Fellows building is approximately 110 years old and has an interesting history of its own. It was built by men from the mining town of Leesburg, who would descend to the Salmon Valley on weekends to work on the building and then return to their mining jobs during the week. Construction began in 1897 and was completed in 1902. The original title on the building dates from a time when Idaho was still a territory. The Odd Fellow Building is on the National Register of Historic Places.
In the 1980’s, L.C.H.S. and the City of Salmon entered into an agreement allowing the Society to build a shelter on city property. The Society leases the land from the city for $1 per year, but the shelter building and surrounding outbuildings are owned by the Society. As each year passes, additions have been made to improve the lives of the animals while in the care of the L.C.H.S. In recent years, a large Bark Park was built for the dogs and – thanks to a generous benefactor – a major renovation to expand the office and cat area was completed in the fall of 2010.
There are always opportunities to enhance the lives of animals under the care of the L.C.H.S. We invite you to share your ideas for improvements, and to give generously so that we can continue to grow and expand both our infrastructure and our services.
Board Members
President - Sandy Kollenberg
Inspired by her Dad’s lifelong love of animals, Sandy champions the life-changing power of the human-animal bond. When not helping to further the organization’s mission, you can find her sneaking cuddles with shelter cats, walking shelter dogs, brainstorming new ways to raise awareness, or convincing friends that “just one more foster” is always a good idea.
Vice President - Kathy Hatch
Laura K Hatch, aka Kathy, was born in Salmon, Idaho and raised in Leadore.
Kathy left Idaho and lived in Texas, Nevada and Oregon. In 1993 she returned to Lemhi County to work for the US Postal Service. She and her husband are ranchers, and she is the founder and president of the American Appendix Horse Association. She is an active volunteer at Rags & Wags and has served on the board for over 5 years.
Secretary - Hannah Alverson
Hannah Alverson moved to Salmon in 2017 and joined the LCHS board early in 2025. Hannah enjoys reading books, trail running, and hiking with her husband and their two dogs, who are both former LCHS shelter residents.
Treasurer - Kenn Roberts
Kenn grew up on ranches and has had a lifelong passion for animals, both domestic and wild. He was active in 4-H and also volunteered with a wild animal rescue in Washington. Since relocating to Lemhi County 13 years ago, Kenn has adopted a cat from the shelter, cares for three rescue dogs, and is currently taming two feral cats. His first college degree in Pre-Med gives him a strong background in biology and zoology—knowledge that serves him well in working with animals.
Diana Weiss
Diana Vincent Weiss was born in Santa Barbara, CA. She received her BS degree from Kansas State in 1970 and came to Montana in 1999. She met and married Jim Weiss from Wisdom and moved to Salmon in 2003. Diana joined the board of the Lemhi County Humane Society in 2006 and volunteers as the board liaison who oversees the workings of Rags and Wags. You will find her every Saturday working at the store.
Dana Cotton
Dana has lived in Lemhi County since 2017 with her family, including two dogs, two cats, and nine chickens, and is proud to serve on the LCHS board. When she’s not playing outside with her trusty sidekicks, she is a faculty member and department chair at the College of Eastern Idaho.