The Blaine County Journal News-Opinion - We've Got The County Covered

One year ago, almost to the day, the Blaine County Journal published an article for the local animal shelter in Chinook. P.A.W.S was ready to close its doors if they couldn’t find reliable volunteers. Starting over 25 years ago, the idea that our animal shelter might face closing was shocking. I contacted Bonnie Weber and asked what could be done. Volunteer. That was the only answer. They needed people in seats, or in kennels as it were.

I attended a board meeting and the very next day I was sweeping kennels, playing fetch and trying to entice more people to do what was needed. In September of 2019, we held a cleanup day. About a dozen of us painted, fixed what was broken, patched holes in walls, filled holes in the kennels and yard, pulled weeds, disinfected everything we could, and came together to provide P.A.W.S with the start of a new life.

One volunteer became two. We rotated shifts 2 times per day, 7 days per week. The board and volunteers made a float for the Parade of Lights. We even got our own bulldog mascot! We constructed a large doghouse with lights and children had fun riding through the parade.

We’ve dealt with burst pipes, a flood one week before thanksgiving, a litter of puppies at Christmas time, mange, spays and neuters, vaccinations, worms, transportation to and from vet appointments, calls to action from a community that has always given so much. And we move ahead still. The addition of a brand-new website helps us connect with people across the globe. New shelter software keeps us on track with reporting and data management.

P.A.W.S by the numbers: Our spay and neuter assistance program has helped 20 pets this year, that equates to countless unwanted litters. We are proud of the community for their attempts to get ahead of the homeless pet population. We accept requests for assistance with these procedures year-round. We have found homes for twelve homeless dogs last quarter. We currently have one dog in foster, and four dogs in the shelter waiting for their lifelong love to walk through the door. One volunteer has turned into five, and we are thrilled to welcome new dog walkers to our team.

The P.A.W.S animal shelter is more than a place that holds dogs. We vaccinate, we deworm, we spay and neuter, we find the very best homes for dogs that have none. We assist with the cost of spays and neuters in the community and surrounding areas. We educate. We rescue. We save. We cry. We laugh. We love so much.

The past year has been filled with hope for P.A.W.S. We are no longer in danger of closing our doors. Our volunteer team is made up of a vet tech, moms who teach their children the beauty and necessity of volunteerism, a dog trainer, a teacher, an actress, and a very handy husband, to name a few. We have been empty. We have been full. We have been defeated one day, and so very grateful the next. We are excited to see where the future will lead, and we’d love for you to join us! There are year-round opportunities for fundraising, photography, dog walking and exercise, socialization, foster care, kennel attending and more. As always, P.A.W.S thanks our community for their never-ending support and generosity. We truly believe that Pets Are Worth Saving.