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| Adopt Me! |
As the door opens to a narrow hallway, a cacophony of sound swirls around guests enveloping them. A narrow corridor, extending left and right, is lined by cages housing homeless dogs. Many dogs fervently seek attention, desperately hoping that someone will stoop over and choose them to go for a walk, to chase a ball, or to become a part of a family. While there is excitement from some dogs, for others there is simply a sad glance before his head slips down to his paws again. The same can be seen in the cat rooms, where stacks of cages house cats and kittens who meow or reach out a paw, trying to make contact with each person they fervently hope will become their family.
Since the Kootenai Humane Society opened its doors in 1975, tens of thousands of dogs, cats, and other animals have found their way through its halls to someone’s couch. This last year approximately 1800 animals were placed in forever homes by the caring staff at the Kootenai County Humane Society. Despite the numbers, each animal is treated individually, not as a commodity or burden. Each dog or cat brought through the door receives individual love and attention and every step of the intake process is designed to help the animals to transition with as little stress as possible under the circumstances.
The Humane Society serves the community as well as it serves each animal. While many of the volunteers are focused on the comfort, care, and safety of the animals entrusted to them, the rest of the staff is focused on supporting the community’s pet owners. This is accomplished through a variety of outreaches, training, pre-adoption and post-adoption services provided tirelessly to the public.
Outreaches are not limited to bringing adoptable dogs and cats into the public for “meet and greets.” The Kootenai Humane Society also encourages an active public relations campaign in order bring information to the community about animal issues. In addition, they provide training or retraining of pets and owners so that re-homing can be avoided. The CLAWS program helps to provide low income senior citizens with the food they need to keep their pets healthy and fed. Special needs animals are given the medical care and rehabilitation they need to live happy and productive lives, while the foster program reaches out to care for and ultimately, adopt out the more challenging pets, including older dogs and cats. Finally, there are several spay and neuter programs especially targeted to the low income community including a free feral cat program designed to reduce the amount of homeless pets in the community. For more information on the programs available click here.
Kootenai Humane Society’s mission statement, “To focus all our efforts and resources toward directly benefiting the quality of life for all abandoned or mistreated pets with the ultimate goal of finding each one a loving household in which to share their lives” is lived out minute by minute. Each volunteer walking a dog, petting a cat, cleaning a pen, or taking an animal out on a “meet and greet” is integral to the success of the organization as it serves the local community. While the Humane Society serves its community, it also desperately needs the community’s support. Gifts of time by hundreds of volunteers, as well as donations of food and supplies keep this vital resource functioning. There are many ways to support the amazing work this organization is doing. Will you consider helping today? Click here for more information on how you can be an integral part of this community outreach.
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| Come and Adopt a New Friend |
If you would like to see a list of animals available for adoption, you can click here.
To go to the Kootenai Humane Society website, click here.
To find a map and directions to the shelter, click here.