Prairie Paws Animal Shelter

The T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter provides service to the City of Manhattan, Kansas. It is operated by Prairie Paws Animal Shelter. For more information, call 785-587-2783, email the shelter, or stop by the Animal Shelter at 605 Levee Drive during business hours. View available and lost pets.

Shelter History

The T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter has served Manhattan and surrounding communities since 1988.

Prior to this, the City operated a dog pound located on the grounds of Sunset Zoo. In 1988, the City constructed a new animal shelter at the present site on Levee Drive using funds from the 1987 quality-of-life sales tax. The new facility provided housing for 20 dogs and approximately 24 cats. A joint City-County Health Department initially operated the animal shelter.

Despite these upgraded facilities, by 1990, it was obvious the animal shelter was not large enough to meet the demands of the Manhattan community and surrounding areas. In 1997, a shelter expansion committee was formed and construction of the new, renovated shelter began in 2000.

The City of Manhattan provided most of the funding, with additional contributions from regional government partners and private donations. The shelter expansion was completed in January 2001.

This renovation tripled the size of the shelter, with 54 dog kennels, 60 cat cages, staff offices, and animal visiting rooms. The City of Manhattan took over operation of the shelter at this time.

In the mid-2000s, a need was identified for additional space to ensure good quality housing for cats and kittens at the animal shelter. Construction began in 2009 and the new cattery building opened December 12, 2010. This new facility included dedicated spaces for adoptable cats, stray cats, queen mothers, and kittens, as well as support spaces.

In 2019, a portion of the cat building was renovated to host a modern on-site surgery suite. Through a partnership with Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, shelter medicine students and faculty worked closely with staff to elevate the level of medical care provided to shelter animals.

In 2023, the City of Manhattan partnered with Prairie Paws Animal Shelter to take over operations of the animal shelter. Prairie Paws began operating the shelter on December 24, 2023.