'Always a need'

COEUR d'ALENE - Many pets arrive at the Kootenai Humane Society healthy. Their biggest need is finding a new home.

But there are some that show up hurting.

A dog might have a broken leg. Or, one could have a case of mange. There could be a rare eyelid condition.

Or, it could be a dog or cat simply needs to be spayed or neutered, receive vaccines or be microchipped before being adopted out.

Whatever the case, Dr. Colette Bergam is there.

Since October, Bergam has been the on-site veterinarian at the KHS shelter at the north end of Ramsey Road. Already, she has had an impact.

"In the short time Dr. Bergam has been here, she has proved herself in many valuable ways," said Pete Chichester, KHS marketing director. "She truly does care for all of the animals and even comes in on her day off to see how they're doing."

KHS director Dori Peck said the medical clinic is key to the KHS success, and Bergam is the No. 1 reason it is doing well.

If an animal is ill, whether it be a dog, cat or rabbit, she does her best to make it better. She's experienced, fast and efficient at her work, Peck said.

"It's a real specialty, what she does," Peck said. "She's critical to what we do."

Bergam is there three days a week, eight hours a day. She performs surgeries on shelter animals one day, and public surgeries the other two. She spays and neuters up to 50 animals a week.

It is, she said, always busy, with many medical challenges.

"It's our job to make sure the animals coming in are healthy when they go out," she said.

Some of the strays that come in, they don't know anything about, so Bergam will diagnose the problem and go from there.

"Never a dull moment," she said during a break between pets. "It doesn't ever slow down. There's always need here."

A graduate of Washington State University veterinarian school, Bergam also worked with the Washington Horse Racing Commission since 1986.

"I'm the gal that's on the track during the races," said Bergam, who does relief work at veterinarians clinics in the area.

She recently returned from South America, where she volunteered her veterinarian talents at poor villages in Ecuador.

Chichester said Bergam could easily demand a higher salary, "but gives KHS a very discounted rate for the love of the animals." Most days, she skips lunch break.

Her kindness starts at home, which she shares with a three-legged border collie, a one-eyed blue heeler and three cats.

Berham shrugs off any credit. Just another day in the life of the KHS vet.

"It's nice to feel like you're giving back to the world in some way, place or form," she said. "I think this is one of the best ways to do that for me."