"I thought anybody who could survive that well in an animal shelter for two years needed a better home."
—Les Reid, Owner of an adopted shelter dog
Headshot style photographs increase exposure for actors, actresses and models. In the Wood River Valley, weekly portraits of dogs, cats and on occasion, rabbits, help to find homes for animals living at the Animal Shelter of the Wood River Valley. Over the last three years, the overall number of animals adopted from the Hailey shelter steadily increased, with an impressive number of animals featured as "Pet of the Week" in the Idaho Mountain Express finding homes.
"In general, our adoption rate seems to be increasing. More importantly, the adoptions appear to be permanent, in that we have far fewer returns than we have ever had," said Donna Simms, business operations manager at the shelter.
During 2004, 462 animals had been adopted as of Thursday, Dec. 23. Many of those animals were featured as "Pet of the Week," a Wednesday feature in the Idaho Mountain Express.
"Of all the animals (featured as "Pet of the Week"), only four were not adopted. That's an impressive statistic," Simms said.
The "Pet of the Week" feature includes a photograph of an animal and short description of the pet and its personality.
"I am looking for the most deserving critters, the ones that are the good guys. I strive to get a good shot to get them out of there," Willy Cook, Idaho Mountain Express photographer, explained. "They are loving, goodhearted animals, and I try to get a good portrait that reflects (the animal's) inner self."
In March 2004, Riley, a golden retriever, appeared as the "Pet of the Week." His description read, "He is well trained, well mannered, knows his basic commands, and is a great trail running dog."
Following his feature in the newspaper, Riley found a home with the Shay family of Bellevue.
"We've got the best one out of all of the dogs for sure," Diane Shay said. "We adore him."
Riley arrived with adoption papers from the shelter that included the e-mail address of his previous owner. The Shay family contacted the dog's former owner through e-mail to inform the owner the dog had found a loving home.
"You never really know if it will be a welcome e-mail," Shay remarked. "(The previous owner) was so grateful we had adopted him. He was so glad the dog was living in the mountains of Idaho with an active, healthy family."
Riley adjusted comfortably to family life in Bellevue.
"He fit right in with our family," Shay said.
Another fortunate shelter dog found a home with the Reid family of Ketchum through the "Pet of Week" feature.
"Donna says 'Freddie won the lottery," Les Reid chuckled.
Freddie's good luck came after two years in the shelter system. Freddie arrived as one of four dogs brought by the Wood River Valley shelter from the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in southern Utah. The sanctuary nurtures thousands of homeless animals from across the country.
After venturing from Utah to Idaho, Freddie tagged along with Simms to a Blaine Manor Auxiliary luncheon. Estelle Reid also attended the luncheon and noticed the well-behaved dog. Mrs. Reid returned home to tell her husband about the impressive animal.
"My wife came back and told me about (Freddie) who behaved admirably with 20 women chatting and food being served," Les Reid recalled.
He filed away his wife's complimentary information on the dog, until he spotted the description of "Freddie" as "Pet of the Week" in the Idaho Mountain Express. Reid contacted the animal shelter to inquire why the well-behaved pet had not found a home. Reid recalled that Simms explained that the dog's appearance, a black lab and Shar-Pei mix, might have delayed the adoption processes despite the dog's well-mannered disposition.
"I thought anybody who could survive that well in an animal shelter for two years needed a better home," Reid said.
The Reids adopted Freddie in March 2004.
"She kept her spirit," Reid said.
The adorable small, black canine with small ears and a curly tail now lives in Ketchum with the family. The family includes a golden retriever who also welcomed the new addition.
The two dogs "slept six-inches apart last night," Reid remarked.
In addition to a new sibling, Freddie enjoys pleasures of her new life that include hikes and ventures into town.
"It's very rewarding to see them out on the street with their new owner," Cook concluded.
This year, Riley, a golden retriever, found a loving home with the Shay family of Bellevue. Riley cuddles with his family, from left to right, Jillian, Diane and Ellie Shay. Express photo by Dana Dugan
