Being responsible for 50 animals all at once can seem overwhelming, but for animal-lovers the task can be uplifting and relaxing. For those who enjoy spending time with animals, Kootenai Pets for Life in Libby is currently looking for volunteers.

Upon entering Kootenai Pets for Life, there is a room with 40 cats to your right, and a cacophony of barking coming from the left. Surprisingly, only eight dogs are contributing to the noise level today. When shelter director Tami White enters and begins feeding the dogs, the resulting satisfied silence is shocking.

KPFL was started in 2001 by a group of concerned citizens to provide a humane, no kill shelter for the stray and abandoned pet population of the Libby/Troy area. KPFL is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. The shelter is located at 125 County Shop Road in Libby.

“I’m in here every day except Sunday” says White “It’s my passion.” White has been part of the organization since 2004, and has three dogs and three cats of her own.

Today her 15-year-old-son Mathew is with her. “We scoop the poop” he says good naturedly “and dump the litter boxes.”

Tending to the cats today is Eileen Carney, who has been a volunteer since the shelter opened in Troy in 2002.

“I come in twice a week and it takes two or three hours to do the cleaning and feeding routine. We try to play with the cats and give them some attention when we can. We really need two volunteers for cats and two for dogs every day, but some days it’s just me.”

In the past, it was not uncommon to have 70 or 80 cats in the shelter, explains Carney. “That’s why the county had to euthanize, it was just too many. People don’t want older cats, so we have some cats here who’ve been here for a few years. Sometimes volunteers take them home.”

A push to “Kill the crisis, not the pet”, a slogan from a sign outside the shelter has probably contributed to a drop in cat numbers as more pet owners are educated in the importance of spaying and neutering.

The shelter hosts vet Dr. Disney most Tuesdays and can make payment plans and give income adjusted discounts to help people prioritise spaying or neutering their pets.

However, a new batch of kittens was recently born when a pregnant cat was brought in. “Kittens are cute, everyone wants to adopt kittens, but we would prefer to not have the extra cats” says White.

There were 15 pet adoptions out of the shelter for February of this year, with a year to date total for 2017 of 17 dog adoptions and 26 cat adoptions. The longest term resident, a dog named Scooter, lived his final seven years at the shelter.

Fifteen core volunteers carry out daily tasks at the shelter, and funding, including the funding to build the current shelter, comes from grants, donations and fundraisers. The biggest fundraisers are the annual Bow Wow Bash and the rummage sale.

A drawing was held at the rummage sale March 17 and 18 for the Spring Raffle for Kootenai Pets for Life. John Hyslop received the gift basket of a steak dinner with all the trimmings donated by Rosauers. Joan Christiansen received the propane patio heater donated by J. Wardensky and the wire dog cage donated by C. Mahoney went to David Deevy.

The shelter is open Monday through Wednesday and Friday and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to noon for the public to come and meet all the cats and dogs available for adoption. The shelter is closed to visitors on Thursdays. Sunday the shelter is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call for an appointment at 293-kpfl if those hours don’t work for you. Volunteers are needed for the hours the Shelter is open.

To volunteer, call Tami White, Shelter Director, at the shelter. According to Marge Sullivan, there are jobs for everyone from walking dogs and socializing cats, cleaning kennels and play yards, feeding and grooming, to helping out with office work. Volunteering can be a few hours a week to a few hours every day. Every volunteer is appreciated.