The Humane Society of the Black Hills (HSBH) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has worked with the community to provide shelter and care for lost and abused animals for 50 years. Incorporated on November 29, 1968, the HSBH currently operates the only major animal shelter west of the Missouri River in South Dakota.

Each year, the HSBH rescues more than 5,000 animals. Because of the shortage of shelters, animals are picked up and brought to our shelter from as many as 20 different counties. The HSBH are also an open admissions shelter, meaning no animal will be turned away.

The HSBH is not affiliated with any other humane societies and rely on public funding and donations from our community to help keep the doors open. Donations to national groups do not reach the HSBH. If you want to support your local animals and families who need it most, support the HSBH.

The HSBH also provides animal welfare services and humane law enforcement to Rapid City and Pennington County governments as an independent contractor. Our animal services and enforcement officers uphold Rapid City codes, Pennington County ordinances, and the State of South Dakota laws pertaining to domestic animals.

The HSBH offers animal surrender and lost and found services, pet adoptions, animal ordinance enforcement and public education, microchipping, licensing, food assistance, and hardship hold services.

Serving the community year-round is the accomplishment HSBH is proud of. In 2020, as the pandemic swept through the country, the HSBH was an essential service that remained open to serve the community and thousands of animals in need of care. Serving animals, serving community is their mission and fulfilling that mission is what they work towards every day.