Shelter seeks warm home for cold-loving Kaya

 As the snow piled up Wednesday at the Humane Society of the Palouse in Moscow, Kaya was in her element.

The 9-year-old Alaskan Malamute mix loves the wintry weather so much she prefers to be outside this time of year, said the shelter’s public relations manager Lauren Green.

But the staff at the Humane Society are hoping she will not have to spend any more winter months at the shelter.

Kaya was first brought to the shelter in 2019. Shortly after, she was placed on medical hold to see if there was a neurological condition causing her back legs to give out. After learning about her arthritis, the staff made Kaya available for adoption.

Kaya was adopted for a short period of time before being returned to the shelter. She is by far the longest staying resident at the facility.

The lack of interest in Kaya confuses the Humane Society staff. Green said all the visitors and volunteers love her.

“She’s definitely the most popular dog that people want to hang out with,” she said. “She’s even met babies and done very well with little infants.”

The affable Kaya does come with certain needs. The arthritis in her legs requires anti-inflammatory medication and will lead to more veterinarian visits as she ages. Blood work will be required at those visits, said Humane Society director Sierah Beeler.

While Kaya loves people, she doesn’t always get along with other pets in the house. That was the reason her previous owner brought Kaya back to the shelter, said Green. She said Kaya would thrive in a home where she does not have to share attention with other animals.

“We’re kind of looking for a family with no other pets and they’re willing to invest a little bit more in her vet care as she continues to age,” Green said.

With her arthritis, Kaya will not require long walks or extensive exercise, Green said. She would love a comfortable couch that “she can be the queen of,” she said.

Green said Kaya had plenty of interest from prospective owners while she was on medical hold, but that interest has disappeared since she was returned to the shelter.

While Kaya’s tenure at the shelter has been unusually long, Beeler said shelters across the region and country are currently having difficulty finding homes for their dogs.

For example, Beeler said the Humane Society of the Palouse has five “highly adoptable” puppies that have been there for almost two months.

Beeler said this is partly because adoptions typically slow down during the winter. However, she also believes it is a result of the significant increase in adoptions that occurred during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“People already have dogs which kind of make it harder to add another animal into that home,” she said.

They believe the right owner for Kaya is out there, though. Beeler said when that day comes, it will be a happy day for the Humane Society.

“Being able to find that person who’s going to be the perfect fit for her is just going to make everybody complete once she actually leaves this facility,” Beeler said.

For more information on pets at the Humane Society of the Palouse, visit the shelter at 2019 E. White Avenue or call (208) 883-1166.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.