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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2018
Victoria Stratton
volunteers her time
with one of the cats up for
adoption at the Clatsop
County Animal Shelter.
VOLUNTEERS
MAKE IT HAPPEN AT ANIMAL SHELTER
By COLIN MURPHEY
The Daily Astorian
T
hey don’t get paid and they spend a fair amount of time
cleaning up messes left by a menagerie of cats and dogs.
But from the looks on the faces of the volunteers at the
Clatsop County Animal Shelter, that’s OK by them. From Ashley
Vanderpool playing with Mick the dog — who never seems to wear
out — to Victoria Stratton scratching the head of Snowie the cat,
they keep the animals comfortable and entertained while waiting
for a forever home. There’s also Rodney Merrill, who makes the
rounds feeding some of them three times a day when he’s not tak-
ing them outside for exercise. And they need all the help they can
get. “It’s been busy lately,” said supervisor Stephen Hildreth. “But,
without our volunteers we would never be able to do this.” Anyone
interested in adopting an animal, volunteering or helping in other
ways can find information at co.clatsop.or.us/animalcontrol.
Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Shanice Brown drove all the way from Beaverton to adopt a dog.
Rodney Merrill takes one of the dogs for a walk.
A dog named Bodie waits to be adopted.
Ashley Vanderpool volunteers five days a week at the animal shelter.
A dog waits her turn to be walked.
A dog waits to be adopted.