They're looking for homes
Dec. 23—Spending just a few moments with some of the dogs at the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter will have any canine-lover wanting to take one of them home, if not all.
The shelter has 19 dogs at its facility looking for homes. Each dog has a unique personality — some want to play, some want to be petted, some are energetic and some are more shy. There is a dog for every type of person and every kind of home.
Two of the dogs are referred to as royalty among the staff at the shelter. Kaya, an 8-year-old Akita mix, is the queen. She likes to be the center of attention and would do best as a family's only dog, unless there's a submissive male dog. She is well-trained and knows a few tricks as well. As an older dog, she has some hearing and vision issues.
Becky Sturmer, development director at the shelter, said Kaya would make a good companion because she would enjoy being with her humans and going for car rides, although she would need a fenced yard to get rid of some energy. Kaya has also been at the shelter the longest of all the canine residents. She's been there since May.
The other member of royalty is Little Girl, whom the staff calls the princess. Little Girl has been at the shelter since August as a stray. The 6 1/2 -year-old shepherd boxer mix still acts like a puppy and has lots of energy. She likes toys and interacting with people and is loyal and smart. Sturmer said she's potty-trained and is good on a leash. Little Girl also hangs around the office with Sturmer and often steals Sturmer's office chair to sit and sleep in.
Other dogs have grown a lot during their time at the shelter. Chevelle, or Chevy, is a 2-year-old terrier American Staffordshire mix that has started to show his personality since arriving in August. Although he can be shy at first, throw a ball for Chevy and pets and cuddles will follow.
Chico, another Staffordshire mix, is 4 years old and can also be shy at first. He is very curious and enjoys exploring the world through his nose. Once he warms up, all he wants is attention. Sturmer also notes Chico's improvement in his behavior as well as his health. When he came into the shelter he had various medical issues, including some skin conditions that have cleared up.
Some dogs also attend a training program called Paroling Animals With Skills, or PAWS, in which the shelter partners with the Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino. The dogs attend an eight-week program to be trained in obedience and social and behavioral skills so they are ready for their news homes. Dogs that have gone through the program are noted with a golden paw on their profile on the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter website. There are six dogs in the program now, Sturmer said.
All the dogs have their own stories of how they ended up in need of a home, and the shelter has seen an increase in dogs. Changes in the economy have contributed to financial strain for families that can't afford the pet anymore. The lack of pet-friendly housing in the area is another factor. Dog adoptions are also decreasing, so more dogs are waiting for homes, according to an email from the shelter.
Puppies under 6 months have an adoption fee of $200, dogs over 20 pounds have a fee of $100 and dogs fewer than 20 pounds have a fee of $150. The adoption fee includes a microchip, dewormer, flea/tick treatment, spay/neuter surgery and vaccines for parvo, kennel cough and rabies.
Those interested in adopting dogs can go to www.lcshelter.org for profiles on the canines. The shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed from 1 to2 p.m. It will be closed Christmas Day.
On the Palouse, the Whitman County Humane Society is offering half-price adoption feeds for December. The shelter also has dogs and cats that have been looking for homes. The humane society is open from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Hours may vary during the holidays. To schedule an appointment to meet the dogs, call (509) 332-3422.
Staff at the Lewis Clark Animal Shelter have strategies and techniques to meet the emotional needs of their animals. Volunteers and staff take training courses from the Fear Free Shelter program to reduce fear, anxiety, stress and frustration for the animals. Pet owners can also use resources at www.fearfreehappyhome.com
Sturmer said the Fear Free training has really helped the staff "meet the animal where they are at and embrace their personality."
Sturmer said people need to give their pets time to form a bond when they are brought home.
"They think (the dog) will be perfect right when they get home," Sturmer said, but it takes patience and trust to build a relationship with a new pet.
The shelter also uses the Fear Free Shelter resources for tips on how to help pets adjust to new homes, including offering treats to earn their trust, getting the pets used to a routine, letting them hide and creating a safe space that's just for them. Kids should also become cautious not to be too rough, and families should meet the animal one person at a time.
The Lewis Clark shelter is in the process of building a new facility that will be able to house more animals as well as better accommodate pets on specific needs. Although the current facility has 67 individual dog kennels, some of thems are unusable because they're broken or have other issues. The capacity numbers are also dependent on the facility's available resources and the needs of the animals in their care, according to information from the shelter.
The shelter is continuing to work on the main building of the new facility and making sure everything is in place for the groundwork to begin. The building will be done in phases, with a total project estimate at $7 million. The next phase of funding is for $1.5 million for the main shelter building, including the roof, siding and doors. Those who want more information on the capital campaign can go to www.lcshelter.org/building-for-the-paws/
Earlier this month, the Lewis Clark shelter received a 96% save rate for 2022 from the Best Friends Animal Society, according to a news release from the shelter. The figure means that 96% of the animals that came into the shelter last year were saved by finding homes with local families. The dog save rate was 99.02% and 92.58% for cats in 2022.
Audrey Williams, director of operations at the shelter, said in the news release that the shelter doesn't kill animals because of time, space, breed or age. But animals sometimes die naturally in the shelter's care and can be euthanized when the animal wouldn't be able to recover from health issues or when it is determined to be unsafe. A 90% save rate is the nationally recognized benchmark to be considered a "no-kill" facility, according to the news release.
Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.
