CHECOTAH — Dogs at the Checotah Animal Shelter usually can expect to see Kate Paris twice a day.

“I come every morning at seven to walk them and every evening at seven to walk them,” she said as she put a leash on a long legged fluffy white terrier that had been at the shelter for a day. “I do as much as I can.”

However, Paris said she cannot do it alone. She said the shelter needs people who can help walk and love them, who can donate food and other supplies and, most of all, who can adopt the dogs to find a home.

“We definitely need volunteers, not just people but donations, and blankets,” said Kem Crotty, who has helped care for the dogs for more than a year.

The shelter, a cinderblock building north of Checotah, has seven inside dog pens plus some portable dog pens outside. The shelter does not take in cats, though at least four feral kittens roam a nearby field.

“We bought these pens,” Crotty said, referring to the outside pens. “The city is paying for nothing but dog food. They buy them cheap dog food which is bad for their stomachs. We also need puppy food; that’s the big thing.”

The Checotah Police Department has an animal control officer, Derek Douglas, whose regular schedule is weekday mornings.

“The women do a wonderful job,” Douglas said. “They help clean out the pens. They take care of the animals. They are a big help. Without them, my life would be chaotic.”

He said the volunteers come out every day, mostly in the morning and evenings, and on weekends.

Crotty said she and the other volunteers try to buy quality dog food such as Pedigree or Purina.

“We also need blankets, Frontline flea and tick solution,” she said. “When someone adopts an animal, we pay to spay and neuter them, give them their shots.”

She said spaying and neutering costs about $65, shots are about $25 and worming them costs about $12.

Paris said the shelter also needs a propane tank and fuel to help heat the shelter during the winter.

Dogs in the outside pens — mostly puppies and smaller dogs — have tarps and dog carriers to protect them from the elements.

While Paris stood with the fluffy white dog, a frisky puppy tugged at its leash. Gina Hogue, who works at Voss Veterinary Clinic, said the pup looked like a boxer and pit bull mix with a touch of heeler.

The volunteers also accept cash donations to help the dogs and have donation jars at several locations, Paris said.

More than donations or volunteer help, the women want loving people to adopt the dogs.

“We want to find them a home,” Paris said, adding that the shelter charges a $5 adoption fee.

Douglas, who has been at his job since June, said the volunteers come out on Saturdays to help with the adoptions. He said his goal is to eventually have a no-kill shelter.

Crotty and Paris said they also want to prevent these dogs from being euthanized.



You can help

• Volunteers needed to help feed dogs or walk dogs, wash dog blankets.

• Donations of quality dog food, flea medicine, blankets, propane heat for shelter. Monetary donations.

• Caring people to adopt the dogs.

• Call: Kem Crotty, 348-0152, or Kate Paris, 260,3530.