CHINOOK, Mont. (NMB) – A year ago, the P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Worth Saving) Animal Shelter in Chinook nearly closed due to a lack of volunteers.
Now, thanks to an outpouring of support and renovations to the facility, P.A.W.S. Manager Alissa Hewitt says the shelter is thriving.
“We decided to take the time we had with an empty shelter and use that for upgrades The outdoor kennels are now concrete instead of dirt, so that’s a major thing for us. It’s really great. It also anchors in the chain link mesh around the area a little better so the dogs can’t try to climb under the fence. That’s a really good thing for us. The chain link has been kind of re-stretched, re-straightened, everything just looks a lot more straight now. We put up some rain gutters to kind of keep the water off of us and the dogs. We’re also installing some fence slats this weekend. That’s going to keep out a lot of the wind, a lot of the snow, a lot of the rain that’s currently getting into the east and west sides of the outdoor kennels.”
Hewitt also wants the public to know that P.A.W.S. can assist with those that can’t afford to spay or neuter their pets.
“You don’t have to wait for a clinic for that to happen. We can assist with those costs. All you have to do is give me a call. We work with three local vets out here and we do that year-round.”
Hewitt says they currently have seven volunteers a trainer and a veterinary technician helping out. The shelter has the capacity for up to a half dozen dogs.
To contact P.A.W.S., call 357-3316.
