Hot diggity dog!
<p>Post Falls Animal Safety Officer Kristi Alexander gives a treat to leonberger therapy dog, Caliber, Wednesday afternoon in Post Falls during a neighborhood visit. The Post Falls Animal Safety Division received a generous donation from a Post Falls man that previously passed away.</p>
<p>Kristi Alexander, left, and Sheri Benner with Post Falls Animal Safety scan and receive information from a Post Falls dog that was loose earlier in the day Wednesday.</p>
POST FALLS - Richard Weitzel left behind a dog-gone generous donation to Post Falls Police's Animal Safety Division.
The Post Falls man, who died of natural causes in January at 82, designated in his will that the division receive $235,119.
"I've been with the department almost 30 years and I've never heard of us receiving a donation this large," Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug said. "We were shocked and we're grateful for the Weitzel family for this donation. We can do a lot of things to improve the Animal Safety Division with this."
Bob Hickey, the executor of Weitzel's will and caregiver to his former neighbor, said the World War II veteran and former electrical engineer also left behind the same amount to the Animal Welfare Institute, an animal protection organization in Washington, D.C., and $15,000 for SpokAnimal, a nonprofit humane organization and adoption center in Spokane.
"He took good care of the causes he cared about," Hickey said of the donations.
Weitzel owned two Bichon Frise dogs.
Weitzel's wife, Loutricia, died in 2011. The couple had a limited number of relatives and a child that they had died an hour after birth, Hickey said.
Weitzel enjoyed traveling, square dancing and operating ham radio, but suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in recent years.
Haug said ideas on how to spend the money given to the police department include spay and neuter programs, identification chips for dogs that are adopted out, medical care and expanding the dog shelter off Seltice Way.
"Our shelter is 15 years old and it gets crowded," Haug said. "It would be nice to have a greeting area and intake room."
PFPD's Animal Safety Division primarily deals with dogs, but responds to reports of other types of animals on occasion, Haug said.
"This donation will improve our service to the community and the animals," Haug said.
"This donation says to me that our animal safety officers are doing a great job and at least one citizen has the confidence to provide this kind of money toward helping animals in the community. We are excited to have the opportunity to do that."