Economy effecting non-profit organization
Renee Klinger snuggles up to Snow after the cat had some play time in the back room and before she got put back into her kennel.
Heather Hasty
Valley Press
Thompson River Animal Care Shelter (TRACS) is feeling the economic strain of the recession this year too.
“The economy has definitely done something to the donations and the adoptions,” Wanda Thorpe, one of the founders of TRACS said.
She did add though that things always seem to slope in and out.
“We go in spurts sometimes,” Thorpe said, “we hadn’t had any adoptions in three weeks and today I adopted three barn kitties, another cat and a puppy, that’s the way it’s always been for us.”
TRACS works off of an all-volunteer basis, and of course they are always looking for more volunteers, but that means that 100 percent of the donations go straight to the animals.
TRACS is planning on a few future events to help earn a little more cash and improve on their set up. In March they will be holding a silent auction, at this time they are now accepting donations for that auction. They are also accepting donations for their spring garage sale.
TRACS will also take time; anyone that would like to walk dogs or help out is welcome as well.
“We walk them for two reasons, exercise and human contact, it’s a good time to do some basic training with them,” Thorpe said.
She’s not the only one with a passion for the animals though.
“When you drive up the dogs go crazy because they know they are getting walked and fed,” Dave Boyer, a frequent volunteer stated, “Then as soon as their done their just as quiet and as docile as can be.”
Boyer said that he walks one at a time in order to give attention to each dog. He said after one on one time with them they know you and listen to you.
TRACS will also have a booth at the Sanders County Fair but descriptions of the animals are also available on the website www.pet-tracs.com. They will also be at adoption day at Petsmart in Missoula on Feb. 14.
Currently they are looking for donations of things like kitty litter, hand sanitizer, kitty houses or anything like that. On a larger scale they also need a color copier and a used RV for animal transportation. Otherwise look for their boxes in your local convenience stores and don’t forget to make a small donation.