Dogs go marching one-by-one to new SCAA shelter
It was a dog day morning on July 1, when volunteers from Second Chance Animal Adoption and seven city pound dogs marched to the new SCAA shelter.
After years of ups and downs, the new SCAA shelter has finally become a reality.
The new facility located at 6647 Lincoln St. next to the SCAA thrift store. The first animal shelter ever in Bonners Ferry will also house city pound dogs.
“This is the culmination of a 12-year dream,” said Kate Turner, vice president of SCAA.
The property was purchased at the end of September. The thrift store is located next door to the acre which holds the SCAA shelter.
“For years many have been saying how desperately our county needs humane, safe housing for cats and dogs; each year the skepticism of whether one would be built continued to amplify,” said former SCAA, Executive Director Rhonda Hamerslough. “Now, the dreams of many have become a reality. To the dog and cat lovers of our community who have faithfully supported Second Chance’s effort to provide a shelter for the lost, abandoned and unwanted animals, thank you.”
SCAA assisted the Bonners Ferry city pound with $14,873 in cash and volunteer time for 2009.
The new shelter is 1,450 square feet is handicap accessible. It has a bathroom, laundry room and grooming area. There are nine dog runs, and three police intake areas for strays found after hours. There are play, socialization and training yards on site.
Medical and temperament assessment of all dogs will be provided. There are three isolation kennels. The dogs will be exercised, trained, socialized and shown to potential adopters by staff.
“Dogs will be held as long as it takes to find them a home,” said Turner. “We work with other shelters in the Northwest area to get dogs with special needs homes as well.”
The shelter will have staff to clean and assist in disease prevention and an assertive plan is in place to cut down possible noise. The dogs will be housed inside at night; extra insulation has been used in the structure to mitigate the noise.
According to the board of directors, over the past two years SCAA has assisted the existing pound by showing dogs on and off site to those interested in adopting, and actually adopted out 29 dogs with no dogs having to be euthanized in 2009. Last year 65 percent of the dogs came from the county and 35 percent from the city.
County Commissioner Ron Smith told SCAA back in February, that in June or July they will be advertising requests for proposals from other groups interested in sheltering dogs for the county. The county hopes to have something in place by Oct. 1.
“There might be three or four groups out there, we don’t know,” Smith said.
Turner said that the SCAA organization is currently negotiating a contract with the county.
“I can’t thank the volunteers and Chief Rick Alonzo and Mayor Dave Anderson enough, this is a labor of love, they have been so supportive,” said Turner.
The shelter hours will be from noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For information or to report a lost dog within the city, call 267-7504.