Cold forces PAS to dip into reserves
<p>Wilma, a Panhandle Animal Shelter dog, expresses her displeasure with the cold weather recently. (Photo courtesy PANHANDLE ANIMAL SHELTER)</p>
SANDPOINT — It’s no easy task to keep the Panhandle Animal Shelter dogs and cats warm during the winter — especially one this cold.
Extra staffing costs and utility bills associated with the bitter December weather add up to some serious coin for the animal shelter. According to executive director Mandy Evans, the organization may have to dip into its reserve funding to cover the costs. As a result, Evans is requesting that residents consider the animal shelter when deciding their holiday donations, volunteering or thrift store shopping.
“We ask the community to think of their animal shelter during this time of giving,” Evans said.
“Whether it’s of their time or a monetary donation, each will be put to good use to help dogs and cats.”
Currently housing 150 cats and 50 dogs, the animal shelter and its personnel are disadvantaged by the extreme cold, which prevents them from putting the animals outside while staff clean their environments. That adds up to additional personnel costs, according to Evans.
Just as bad are the utility costs. Evans said monthly Avista bills now total to between $3,500 and $5,000. The colder the weather, the more it costs to heat the facility.
The extra staffing costs and utility payments are paired with increased pressure for animal shelter services. The nonprofit has received a serious jump in reports of animal abuse as residents spot dogs and cats left out in the cold. Likewise, more and more residents forced to choose between their pet and heating their homes or stocking their fridges are dropping dogs and cats off at the animal shelter.
While PAS has experienced dramatic success this year at grant acquisition, Evans said those funds only finance specific programs and not the shelter’s day-to-day operations.
“We really are funded solely off community support,” she said.
She also hopes the shelter’s top-notch performance this year will convince some individuals to throw support their way. So far in 2013, PAS adopted out 993 dogs and cats, rescued 125 dogs from being euthanized at other animal shelters and accepted 432 animals due to surrender, Evans said.