Humane thing was to 'resign'

A few weeks ago an article was written about volunteers not willing to sign a form at Kootenai Humane Society. Refusal to sign this form would result in a volunteer being 'resigned.' We have been asked to clarify some issues and explain in more detail.

First and foremost, we do not want to cause harm to animals at KHS. We want this very generous community to continue the support they have shown for those animals for many years. Please continue the donations of food and shelter supplies.

We have volunteered at KHS for years - 3 years up to 8 years - and have given approximately 250 hours per month. Our primary service was walking dogs. We gave with our time and also gave financially. One of the volunteers also built the exercise run, made the magnet boards used to track which dogs had been walked, and was instrumental in painting all the kennels. One or more of us were there every day of the week except Saturday when 3 other dedicated volunteers did the walking. Some days we were the only one or two walkers. There was not an attempt made to gain new walkers like there has been recently. We did not leave until ALL dogs were walked.

One of the many comments made by a director was, "Some volunteers come just to socialize." We walked in every kind of weather North Idaho has. We challenge that director to walk one day in 80-90 degree heat for four to five hours without a 'social break' and when it is snowing, wind blowing and the parking lot is an ice-skating rink.

The No-Kill Policy form was placed in an office with no announcement either by email (which is how most notices are given to volunteers) or verbal. It was by chance one of us noticed it. We individually decided we could not sign it as written.

It goes beyond just acknowledging the policy of no-kill. There are times when there is no other option but to euthanize; we can and do accept that. There were 5 dogs killed for behavior between January and April 2014. We have held many dogs in our arms when that time has come wanting them to leave knowing someone cared. It is heartbreaking. We want that option to know when one of our friends has reached that time. Not every volunteer needs nor wants to know. The staff comes to know us and which dogs have become our special friend, and as a courtesy to us, has let us know. We have also had dogs who have been euthanized we could not accept.

Last March, a dog bit a visitor who had put their fingers through the kennel. (Please people do not stick fingers in kennels. The kennels become the dogs 'home,' and sometimes they get protective). A director told one of the volunteers the dog was going to have to be euthanized because he had bitten, and the husband had "demanded that dog be killed." This was an adoptable dog. Two volunteers met with the director, asking for a different solution. We previously had asked for a trainer/behaviorist to work with troubled dogs. We asked again for this dog and offered to pay for it ourselves. At the end of that meeting it was stated there was no other solution except for the dog to be put down. So to say "the dog was never put on the euthanasia list" is not true. A volunteer felt there was no point in speaking again to management since the decision was so definite, so she wrote a letter to the editor. It was not, as stated, "completely false." She was vilified at KHS for writing it. The outcome was having that dog saved and a trainer brought in who generously donates her time to work with him and other dogs in need.

The form states, "I can be terminated as a volunteer if I perform any of the acts in the Zero Tolerance policy (we know nothing about that policy), including public rumor mongering, and untruths in regards to the care of animals at KHS." Nothing we have stated is untrue. If 'public rumor' is speaking out about facts, we are guilty.

KHS is a community supported shelter and not a privately run shelter by a few.

We asked two separate times for a meeting to discuss our differences and seek a compromise, and were told no both times. We submitted another version of the form May 15 hoping for a compromise, and have had no response; however, the volunteer director 'resigned' one volunteer in 21 minutes!

We are told we can go to the Board. A few years ago we did go to the Board. The result was the President saying "I'm driving this bus and if you don't like it, get off." We didn't get off and have continued to give hundreds of hours.

The comments about us from the directors have included "having hidden agendas," and "wanting to get rid of the Board." We sure have an odd way of doing that by giving so much of ourselves for the betterment of the animals at KHS. We were excited to welcome all the new dogs from California, see them rescued from death, get new homes and be a constant source of revenue for KHS.

We talked openly and honestly with the directors and felt we had an honest, respectful, even friendly relationship with them. In retrospect and given their nasty comments, we think we were targets to be silenced. We have had three different versions of where the form came from: "It came from the Board," "It was in the files for years," and parts were taken from two other shelters and added to.

Why this form came out now, and what the contents have to do with acknowledgment of a no-kill shelter, doesn't make sense. It has been said we do not adapt to change. That is ludicrous. We have gone through 4 Executive Directors, 6 shelter managers, and 6 volunteer directors - each having new rules.

Now we do have public questions from ourselves and people in the community:

Why does a publicly funded shelter feel threatened by open information?

With a budget of almost $1 million, why did only 8 percent go to the direct care of animals in 2011, and 5 percent in 2012, as reported on KHS tax returns?

Why is the Board of Directors self-appointed, with a President who has served since 2006?

We miss 'our dogs,' and did not want to "resign." We could have signed the form and continued, but why should we be silenced when the directors have broken their own rules by issuing false statements? We made every effort to compromise because we loved our four footed friends. We had days of pure joy seeing them get new homes. We saw them off with happiness, and sometimes lots of tears, as we would miss them. We have great respect for the staff who work at KHS, and many have become our friends and we miss them. We urge people to adopt animals. When we left, two of our favorite friends were still waiting for their new family and home - Harlequinn and Lotto. Maybe you are the one they are waiting for!

Shinko Whitehorn, Cecilla Nolthenius, Mary Kit Lynam, Sue Wombolt and Shari Paige are Kootenai County residents.