Sunday mornings are usually set aside for a quiet peaceful time of reflection.

Monday, December 06, 1999

Sunday mornings are usually set aside for a quiet peaceful time of reflection. This is not true for volunteers of the Mower County Animal Shelter.

Walking into the kennels one needs to have on earplugs or have a tremendous love for dogs. Elizabeth Kellner, a graduate of Riverland Community College, doesn’t wear earplugs as she feeds and waters the twentysome yapping dogs at the animal shelter. She has a smile on her face. Kellner cleans the kennels and seems oblivious to the deafening barking of all the dogs.

"I only started volunteering at the animal shelter a month ago. I adopted a dog then," Kellner explained. "His name is Buddy, he’s half cocker spaniel and black lab. He’s short and fat. When I adopted my dog the Humane Society had a deal where you could get your picture taken with your dog for $10. I got my picture taken with Buddy and received a 5-by-7-inch photo. All proceeds went to the Humane Society.

"I asked if they needed any help, and that’s how I became a volunteer," explained Kellner.

Kellner volunteers three days a week. She is allergic to cats so she sticks with the dogs. She arrives at 8:30 a.m. to clean kennels, and water and feed the dogs. One of the best parts about volunteering is taking the dogs out to play. She has three favorite dogs staying at the shelter right now. They are a Beagle named Faith, a Black Lab named Susie and a mixed border collie named Missy.

"I like seeing the animals so happy. Running and playing with them, giving them a kiss; it doesn’t take much to keep a dog happy. I try to give them all attention. Sometimes I don’t have enough time play with them. You don’t need any special training to be a volunteer for the Humane Society, just a love for animals," said Kellner.

Kellner has a busy schedule. She works at Sherman Williams and is applying to college. She wants to study in the veterinary field. At present her goal is to be a veterinary technologist. She has several colleges in mind and hasn’t fully decided where she will be heading in the future.

Kellner wasn’t just ‘dropped-in’ as a volunteer at the animal shelter.

"The volunteers at the Humane Society are a great bunch of people. They train you in. It isn’t hard work. The least favorite job is cleaning the kennels.

"I’m used to using a shovel because I had horses and I had to muck out the stalls. It does smell pretty bad, but I just grin and bear it. I am comfortable around animals. Growing up I had horses, dairy goats, chickens, geese, a lizard and doves," said Kellner.

Kellner’s advice to animal owners is to have their pets spayed and neutered. Keep pets confined to a fenced in area, so they won’t run off. If a pet is having behavior problems please contact a veterinarian. Most behavior problems can be fixed. Behavior problems are one of the main reasons an animal may end up at the shelter. Don’t give up on a pet, Kellner advised.