Not just a home for the holidays

Langley doesn't photograph well.

He's black, too, not a good color for a shelter dog.

And it doesn't help that when visitors to Kootenai Humane Society look at him behind the kennel gate, he barks, jumps and doesn't come across as all that friendly.

Which is unfortunate, said Miki Frank, canine behavior specialist and adoption center supervisor. Langley would make a great pet.

"Once he's out, he's your typical black lab," she said. "Happy-go-lucky, just wants to have a good time. But he doesn't stand out as something you want to take home."

Langley, a energetic lab mix, has been at the shelter since March when his family lost their home. That's nine months spending more than 20 hours a day in his kennel that measures roughly 5-by-10 feet.

It takes a toll.

"He's getting a little possessive of his kennel. The longer the dogs are here, they all get possessive of their kennels because that's the only home they have," Frank said.

There are other dogs and cats have lived at the KHS shelter at the end of Ramsey Road for months. For whatever reasons - too old, too big, too noisy, too much trouble - they haven't been adopted, and so they sit and wait.

One boxer/greyhound mix, Cocoa, has been there a year, adopted and returned, three times. Two returns were within a day. Behavioral issues, the short-time owners said.

Help, and hope, is on the way.

Animals in three shelters in North Idaho will be visited soon by a team of celebrities and friends.

"Christmas Pawty" is set for noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday at KHS. Organizers want to find homes by Christmas for the shelter's most "adoption-challenged" pets. The public is encouraged to stop by.

Dr. Marty Becker, the veterinarian from Bonners Ferry, who's most recognized as "America's Veterinarian" and has appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America," is taking the lead. He'll be joined by his daughter, pet trainer and author Mikkel Becker.

The Beckers will be handing out treats and using their Facebook and Twitter feeds to spread the word about each pet.

Becker and Mikkel have adopted pets who have languished in no-kill shelters for years. Becker adopted his lab-pit mix, Gracie, last Christmas. She had been at Second Chance Animal Adoption Shelter for the past two years - all her life.

"She had something wrong with her legs, and she wasn't particularly attractive, but Gracie and I looked at each other, and we both knew that she'd just found a new home," Becker said . "She's been a beloved part of our family ever since."

Less than a year later, Mikkel adopted a three-legged cat she named Nemo, after her daughter's favorite movie.

Marty Becker said animals who get overlooked at shelters are usually the ones with the biggest personalities.

Sometimes, they just aren't as cute or don't photograph as well as another pet does, he said.

"Black animals don't photograph well," Becker said. "So you have a lot of black dogs and cats needing homes; but most are like Langley, who is a sweet and active animal perfect for a family with kids."

Or, maybe, they have a quirky physical characteristic and people write them off as being high maintenance.

"But an eye out or a limp doesn't mean the animal will be unhealthy," Becker said. "On the contrary, these are the scrappers in life who survive most odds."

The shelter has its share of such canines.

Look at Warlock, a 10-year-old lab mix, and Skywalker, an 8-year-old border collie/heeler mix. They've been at the shelter three months, and need to be adopted out together, Frank said. Skywalker is shy and insecure without Warlock.

"They're not used to being indoor dogs. They were kept outside all the time," she said. "They just love hanging out."

Then there's Paco, a younger, 65-pound shepherd/Australian blue heeler mix. He's a bit aggressive at times, a bundle of energy and sometimes growls at guests.

But he has his attributes, too.

"He needs to be out in the country, where he can be protective of the home," Frank said. "He'd be a fabulous guard dog for somebody who understands guard dogs."

Baby is another longtime shelter resident. The lab/mastiff mix is about a year and a half old and is "super, super shy," Frank said.

All she needs is someone who has patience and time to spend with her.

"If people would give her a chance, she loves, loves, loves people," Frank said.

But she literally walks fences.

"If she's going to be outdoors, she would need a covered kennel," Frank said. "The rest of the time, she would just rather be with you. She loves playing with other dogs."

Rondi Renaldo, KHS executive director, is excited about Becker's visit on Tuesday.

"To have him come and say 'we support you guys,' is tremendous," she said.

Becker will also be taking the "Christmas Pawty" to the Panhandle Animal Shelter in Ponderay from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, and the Second Chance Animal Adoption Shelter in Bonners Ferry from 5:30-7 p.m.