ARL Animal Services

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ARL Animal Services To create a safe and humane community through education, outreach, and enforcement.

ARL Animal Services is a division of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa that is contracted by the City of Des Moines to provide animal control services for all neighborhoods within city limits. The division also offers pet programs, resources, and clinics to the local community. This program is a partnership with the Des Moines Police Department, and a member of the DMPD serves as Chief Humane Officer. ARL Animal Services operates out of the city's Des Moines Animal Services building at 1441 Harriet St., and the program is supervised by the ARL's Director of Animal Services. Through this partnership, the citizens and animals of Des Moines benefit because the ARL is able to offer programs and services through grants and donations that would not be offered by a strictly tax-funded animal control program. Learn more about ARL Animal Services here: https://www.arl-iowa.org/community/animal-services/.

RESCUED! When ARL Animal Services officers responded to reports of a kitten crying in a storm drain in downtown Des Moin...
10/28/2026

RESCUED! When ARL Animal Services officers responded to reports of a kitten crying in a storm drain in downtown Des Moines, we were able to hear the kitten but not see it. Thankfully some city employees met us there to help. They removed the drain cover and provided a ladder so our ASO could descend about 6 feet down into the drain. Still unable to see the kitten, we set a live trap with food inside. When we checked back the next day, the kitten was in the trap, and with the help of city employees we were able to bring the little guy to the surface. We're happy to share that he is now under the care of our Miracle Medical Team and doing well.

Thanks to the citizens who reported this kitten, and big thanks to the city employees who helped get this kiddo out of the drain and give him a second chance!

UPDATE: ADOPTED!COOL KITTEN ALERT: Traceon is a 6-month-old shy guy with a HUGE purr! He tends to curl up in his cubby h...
10/18/2026

UPDATE: ADOPTED!

COOL KITTEN ALERT: Traceon is a 6-month-old shy guy with a HUGE purr! He tends to curl up in his cubby here at the shelter vs. being right at the front of his kennel, so he has a tendency to be overlooked, but he is the absolute sweetest thing. Once he has a chance to sniff you and see that you're OK, he'll purr like crazy as long as you're petting him.

This little guy is looking for a calm, quiet home with someone willing to give him a little extra time to settle in. He will be a wonderful companion for a relaxed, patient family. He just needs a chance!

Learn more about him at https://ow.ly/STmF50ZYLhC and see a video of him purring, then meet him at ARL Animal Services!

09/21/2026
HAPPENING NOW: $35 ADOPTION FEES! Our Fall in Love adoption event continues today-Sunday with $35 adoption fees for dogs...
09/19/2026

HAPPENING NOW: $35 ADOPTION FEES! Our Fall in Love adoption event continues today-Sunday with $35 adoption fees for dogs and cats ages 6 mo+ at all ARL adoption locations - come visit us!

All dogs and cats are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped, and adopters receive discounts on ARL dog training classes and ARL Animal House store purchases. Use the money you save on adoption fees to spoil your pet even more!

See adoptable pets, plus hours/locations at ARL-Iowa.org.

Pictured: A few of the cuties waiting to meet you right now at ARL Animal Services!

09/01/2026

☀️ HEAT ADVISORY☀️ If you’ve set foot outside today, you know it is hot, hot, HOT! It’s currently 93 in DSM with a heat index in the hundreds, and those temps are expected to continue for the next several days – so PLEASE keep your pets safe and keep an eye out for pets in distress. Remember:

1. NEVER leave your pet (or child) alone in a parked vehicle – even in the shade, even with the windows vented. With extreme temps like today the inside can reach 114 degrees in just 10 minutes! Even leaving them for "just a minute” can be deadly.

2. Keep pets indoors as much as possible and provide plenty of fresh, cold water. Also consider putting water out for community cats and wildlife.

3. Avoid hiking, running, walking and exercising outside with dogs during peak heat hours – they can burn their paws on asphalt, concrete and even turf, and are at a higher risk of heat stress. (Remember: If it's hot for you, it's even hotter for your dog!)

4. Be alert for the signs of heat stress: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, unsteadiness, a staggering gait, vomiting, or a deep red tongue. If you believe your pet is suffering from heat exhaustion, contact your veterinarian right away — it could save your pet's life.

If you see a pet in distress in the city of Des Moines, call (515) 283-4811 to have an ARL Animal Services officer dispatched. During extreme temps, these calls are considered priority calls. If you see a pet in distress in any other city, call the non-emergency police number for that area.

HELP NEEDED: ARL Animal Services is seeking help finding the owner of this lost, injured dog. If you have information, p...
08/17/2026

HELP NEEDED: ARL Animal Services is seeking help finding the owner of this lost, injured dog. If you have information, please call (515) 686-8274. Thank you!

RESCUED: When ARL Animal Services officers responded to a call about a dog barking from an open well early this morning,...
08/15/2026

RESCUED: When ARL Animal Services officers responded to a call about a dog barking from an open well early this morning, they found a large dog lying in mud and water at the bottom of a roughly 8-foot-deep hole.

There was no way the dog could get out on his own, so our team and Des Moines Police worked together to pull him safely to solid ground.

Thankfully a neighbor recognized the dog, who was named Kush, and notified his family. Cathy and her son rushed to ARL Animal Services, where they greeted our team with hugs and were happily reunited with their beloved dog.

It turns out Kush had been missing since Aug. 9, and his family had all but given up hope of ever seeing him again. Now that he was back with them where he belonged, they planned to get him microchipped to give them a better chance of being reunited with them quickly if he ever went missing again.

Thank you to the good Samaritan who made the report and the Des Moines Police officers who assisted with this rescue!

Address

1441 Harriet Street
Des Moines, IA
50317

Telephone

+15152846905

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