PONDERAY — Better Together Animal Alliance has nearly 100 cats and dogs looking for forever homes right now, but the alliance is much more than just an animal shelter.

In addition to taking in animals, BTAA also provides numerous programs and resources for the community. Their goal — try to keep people and their pets together.

BTAA is a no-kill shelter, meaning that staff will not euthanize any of the animals because the facility does not have enough space to house them.

The alliance serves as an intake facility for the cities of Sandpoint and Ponderay as well as for the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. Additionally, the organization accepts owner-surrendered animals.

Mandy Evans, BTAA’s executive director, said one of their animal-focused programs is for managing feral cats in the area. Community members are able to borrow live traps and bring the animals into the shelter. The cat will get fixed and be returned to the area where it was trapped so it cannot reproduce and create an even greater feral cat population.

“That process helps us control the amount of community cats that we have,” Evans said.

Evans said the organization’s main focus is helping pet owners find solutions and offer support so they are able to keep their animals rather than feeling forced to surrender them due to poor circumstances. Many of the organization's programs are aimed outward, meant to aid and assist community members with the care of their animals.

A helpline has been created to help community members who might be struggling with the cost of vet bills. 

“We get about $1,500 to $3,000 in requests a week,” Evans said. “We’re not able to meet that need, but we do the best we can.”

Another resource BTAA offers is assistance with reinforcing fencing if a dog continues to escape its enclosure. 

Another program, called Pets for Life, sees BTAA staff going door-to-door in specific areas of the community and asking how they can help pet owners with their individual needs. That assistance could look like free nail trims, access to food, help with vet care, or a free spay or neuter for the animal.

This assistance, Evans said, is not income dependent. Anyone can receive this support from the organization as long as they live in that area.

A pet food bank is also available to everyone in the community; pet owners can come into the alliance during open hours and pick up pet food for their animal at no charge, no questions asked. Last year, over 100,000 pounds of dog food was given to the community through the food bank.

Fifteen microchip reading stations have also been installed by BTAA, now totaling 41 around the county, Evans said. These microchip stations — located inside various grocery stores and gas stations — can help identify who owns a lost pet faster than driving it to the shelter.

Free microchip and vaccine clinics are also held throughout the year to help pet owners provide the best care for their pets that they might otherwise not be able to afford and skip doing. Multiple adoption events are also held each year, eliminating adoption fees for various pets in an attempt to help them find homes faster.

Right now, all adoption fees for adult pets are waived until the end of July.

For those who are not in a position to adopt but still enjoy spending time with animals, the Hounds on the Town program offers a great opportunity for both humans and animals. Interested parties can call the shelter and let staff know they would like to take a dog out for the day.

“We get them all ready for you,” said Paige McGowen, BTAA’s development director. “We give you a pack so you have water, a dish, poop bags, all the things you need. You can take them out on an adventure for the day. They wear a little ‘Adopt Me’ vest.”

People can take the dogs on a walk, a hike, to the lake, to the pet-friendly restaurants and breweries in town, or anywhere they think would be fun for a shelter pet to stretch their legs. At the end of the day when the pup gets returned, staff ask for a “report card” of how they did. This can help staff learn more about the dog’s personality outside of the shelter, as well as how they handle real-life stimuli such as meeting other animals, people, or things like bikes and cars.

For those who have pets that need to be rehomed but are worried about taking them to a shelter, BTAA offers a Home to Home program, where pets can stay in the home they’re used to until they find a new forever home. A profile can be posted online for the pet and current owners can choose who they think would be the best fit for their animal.

This program is free of cost to use as well as it does not allow rehoming fees for the pets listed, Evans said.

TLC — Temporary Loving Care — is another program that helps those going through tough times connected to their pets. This program offers free boarding for pets for up to four weeks if pet owners are going through any kind of life change, such as a medical emergency or an incarceration.

“We’ve done it for many situations,” Evans said. “We’ve seen everything from evacuations due to forest fires … We’ve had folks escaping domestic violence situations. We’ve had a gentleman fall and break his hip, and he had two dogs. He didn’t want to surrender his dogs but he couldn’t take care of them at the moment.”

Some dogs at the shelter are currently working on their behavior skills through an online training program while waiting for a forever home. When adopted, if they have not finished their training, their new families will be sent home with a “scholarship” for the remaining classes with their new pet’s trainer, if additional training is desired.

BTAA also keeps a small fund to help community members struggling with the decision to euthanize a pet due to old age or medical issues. Additionally, group cremation is offered to those pet owners at no cost.

“If people know of someone who’s struggling to make that decision due to cost, please call us,” McGowen said.

Better Together Animal Alliance is located at 870 Kootenai Cutoff Road in Ponderay. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.