Chamber Honors Panhandle Animal Shelter

The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce is proud to recognize Panhandle Animal Shelter as July’s Business of the Month. The Panhandle Animal Shelter is proud to serve our community by providing a haven for the lost, abandoned, neglected and abused animals of Bonner County. Last year 1400 dogs and cats entered through their doors and they helped 1383 find new homes or their “lost” families.

The dedicated staff and hundreds of volunteers who work at the shelter every day are focused on providing a nurturing environment with the goal to help them leave the shelter promptly either through owner returns or adoptions. It is because of this focus they have been successful in reducing our average animal length of stay in half since January 2011.  

“We work to help control our animal population by advocating spaying and neutering,” explained Executive Director Mandy Evans. She added, “Our animals are ‘fixed’, vaccinated and micro-chipped prior to adoption and we provide low income coupons to families who cannot afford to neuter/spay their family pets. Our food bank supplies over a half ton of donated dog and cat food to families requiring temporary assistance feeding their animals.”

Their organization does not receive state or federal tax funding; they are a private 501(c)3 non-profit and the flagship animal shelter for Northern Idaho. The shelter serves various needs in our community. They are the only stray dog drop off location in our area. A majority of their canine occupants came in as strays and are waiting for their families to pick them up. In addition, Panhandle Animal Shelter supports activities that encourage the human-animal bond. Many reports and statistics demonstrate the positive outcome of this mutually beneficial relationship. Their dogs leave the shelter each week to visit senior centers, rehabilitation centers, and the Bonner County Library in Sandpoint for the PAWS to Read program which allows children to read to an unbiased listener, a dog.

“We sincerely appreciate our community’s support of our thrift store,” added Mandy. “The thrift store provides quality merchandise to those in need and in return funds a large portion of our animal shelter. Our manager, Christy Syth, has been with us for almost a year and has done an amazing job stabilizing our pricing and keeping fresh merchandise on the floor.”

“Our animals are lucky to temporarily reside in an amazing building located 870 Kootenai Cut-off Road in Ponderay,” said Mandy. “We invite you to visit the shelter during regular business hours seven days a week, Monday through Saturday 12p to 5:30p and Sundays 12p to 4:30p.”

Your continued support of Panhandle Animal shelter with your monetary gifts and/or by volunteering is greatly appreciated by the staff and animals of the shelter. Your help makes a difference in the lives of dogs, cats and their owners.

Please join the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in congratulating Panhandle Animal Shelter for their success and thanking them for their commitment and service to our community. For more information, visit them at 870 Kootenai Cut-Off Road in Ponderay or call them at 208-265-PAWS (7297).

In Photo: Panhandle Animal Shelter Executive Director, Mandy Evans, accepts the award with Chamber President, Kate McAlister and Chamber Ambassador, Ken Wood.