A lot of folks are interested in saving puppies.

Hundreds, in fact, as the Kootenai Humane Society discovered this week.

After taking five puppies from the over-full Humane Society of Central Washington on Monday, the animal shelter was deluged with calls from would-be adopters, said Rondi Renaldo, KHS executive director.

"We have pages of messages we're just trying to call back," Renaldo said, adding that the Chihuahua, Welsh Corgi, Shih Tzu mix and two Dachshunds will be adopted after they are spayed, neutered and vaccinated. "(It's because) they're gorgeous. Lots of people with all the foreclosures are renting now, and that's what they have to go with, smaller dogs."

One surprise, though: The animals had not been facing impending danger as initially thought.

Statements that the dogs had been transferred from the Washington shelter just before they were to be euthanized were untrue, said Alan Landvoy, HSCW executive director.

"We're working hard daily and weekly to save every (animal) we can," Landvoy said. "(Euthanizing) takes place when there's no other choice."

When the shelter is over capacity like now, he said, the staff focuses on adopting animals out, finding them foster homes or, as in the case with the puppies, transferring them to other rescue groups and facilities.

"We do send a lot to the Seattle area," Landvoy said.

There is no maximum length of stay for any animal, he added. Animals are euthanized if they are very sick, severely injured or overly aggressive.

It is rare that animals are killed for space, he said.

"Hardly ever," he said, adding that typically healthy, well-tempered animals are only put down because of animal control contracts.

The Yakima shelter has received a flood of negative feedback over the idea that the puppies were to be killed, he added.

"Somebody just took liberty with information," he said.

Renaldo said there was a misunderstanding when a KHS volunteer visited HSCW and thought that because the shelter is a full-service facility that the dogs were going to be euthanized.

"The volunteer called me and said, 'Hey, these dogs are going to be put down,' and I said, 'Bring 'em, bring 'em,'" Renaldo said. "I feel bad. I was told point blank that they were going to be put down."

The HSCW in Yakima has room for roughly 101 animals, Landvoy said.

It is usually full, he added.

"Part of it is we're wide open country, lot of room, lot of orchards, lot of vineyards," he said. "People often will dump their animals out there."

Renaldo encouraged concerned folks to make the three-and-a-half hour jaunt to Yakima to adopt animals.

"There are fabulous dogs at all facilities. If you don't find it in ours, you could find it at another one," she said.

HSCW is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from noon to 5 p.m. on weekends.

The shelter charges $95 to adopt small dogs, $80 for large dogs and $70 for cats. All animals are spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Dogs are microchipped.

"We're working hard daily and weekly to save every one we can," Landvoy said.