Nine-year old celebrates birthday by helping sheltered animals
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Micah Conner, a nine-year old from Chinook, recently celebrated his birthday by making a donation to help dogs and cats in local animal shelters. His mom, Amy Gerky, said, "Micah did the same thing on his eighth birthday last year. We had just moved to Chinook and didn't yet know about PAWS so he gave his birthday donation to the Maclean Animal Adoption Center in Great Falls." This year he gave a donation to PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving), in Chinook, as well as Maclean. PAWS shelters dogs, Maclean takes care of cats.
While some might find donating to animal shelters an odd way for a nine-year old to celebrate their birthday, Gerky said, "Micah has a passion for animals. When he got the idea to donate food and money for food to the shelter, he told me, "I hear that sometimes animals don't get enough food in the shelters."
At the PAWS shelter Micah's donation of a $30 check and a bag of dog food was received by new board president Laura Kleinjan. Kleinjan said Micah told her he wanted to be an animal trainer when he grows up and volunteered to walk the dogs and play with them at PAWS. Micah's mother explained, "I think a lot of his urge to donate is a chance to get to play with the dogs and pet the cats when he gives a gift."
This spring Micah and a friend plan to host a bake sale to help raise funds to buy food for animal shelters in the immediate area. According to Gerky the bake sale will be held in front of the IGA store in Havre with funds raised going to both PAWS and a shelter for cats she understands is reopening in Havre. The date of the sale will be sometime around Easter.
How you can help PAWS
Bonnie Weber, who serves on the PAWS governing board, shared some facts about the PAWS shelter. She said the shelter is only able to accept five to six dogs. She explained, "We have five dog runs. One is large enough that we can sometimes house two dogs in the larger run. Most of the time we are full." Weber also noted, "We are a 'no kill shelter.' We are able to place our dogs with adoptive homes, but sometimes it takes a while."
She said donations of dog food or cash are always appreciated. Donations are tax deductible. Cash donations are used to buy food, pay vet fees and take care of facility maintenance. The shelter has two high school students who are paid helpers to feed and care for the dogs. Weber said, "We can only afford them a few hours a week." Donations can be sent to PAWS, P.O. Box 132, Chinook 59523.
Volunteers are always needed to walk and play with the dogs. Weber said, "The dogs need socialization with people. Being comfortable around people makes it easier to place them into an adoptive situation." She added, "A volunteer can help as much or as little as they wish. Volunteering doesn't have to be a large time commitment, we'll work with a volunteer's schedule." To volunteer you can contact Bonnie Weber at Shore's Floral in Chinook or the email contact for PAWS is pawsdogs@hotmail.com. PAWS has a website at montanapets.org/paws/ with some basic information about the facility in Chinook.
The "Journal" thanks young Micah Conner for his concern and support for animals who need shelter and wishes him a belated happy ninth birthday.
