Animal shelter volunteer honored
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers ANIMAL ADVOCATE- Volunteer of the Year Karla Halseth would like Lizzie, a gentle, 10-year-old German shepherd, to be adopted. Halseth was honored by Los Angeles County's Animal Care and Control for her tireless service on behalf of the shelter animals.

Karla Halseth loves animals, especially dogs. She proves her devotion to man's best friend by providing loving care for injured stray dogs at her home and volunteering at the Agoura Animal Shelter.

Halseth's hard work was recently recognized when she was named Los Angeles County's Animal Care and Control Volunteer of the Year. She will be honored at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in April and again in May at a Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control luncheon.

Halseth has been volunteering at the shelter for five years, logging in about 20 hours per week at the facility, and chauffeurs sick dogs to and from veterinarian visits. But her work isn't over at the end of the day. Halseth brings sick dogs back to her Medea Valley home to recuperate from injuries, infections or other ailments. Halseth follows doctor's orders to administer medication to her canine guests and slowly increases their activity until they are physically and emotionally ready for adoption.

"Karla has a big heart," said Robin Kahrs, a fellow animal shelter volunteer who won the volunteer of the year award two years ago. "It's not always easy fostering hospice animals or senior animals because we don't always have them that long."

Halseth and her husband, Thor, have four dogs of their own, two of which are older dogs they adopted from the shelter. They also have two horses.

"I have a soft spot in my heart for older dogs," Halseth said. "I grew up with animals and have always loved animals, and my husband feels the same way," Halseth said.

Halseth keeps foster dogs in their finished garage. Since they are recuperating, she said she must keep them away from her own dogs. She cares for the pooches for two weeks to as long as five months, she said.

Halseth also volunteers for Malibu Pet Companions, a nonprofit group that works closely with local animal shelters. The group pays for extra medical care for animals when a shelter can't provide the funds.

"That's a lot of money," Halseth said. "It's amazing how many animals are able to be saved who would otherwise be euthanized."

When animals are brought into the shelter as strays, they're named, Halseth said. The Halseths kept Gumby, an older German short-haired pointer who is deaf, and a Doberman named Alex, who suffers from Wabbler syndrome. Alex and Gumby joined Zoe, a Lab, and Bruno, another "Dobie," at the Halseths' home.

"There was not much you could do for them, so we ended up keeping them," Halseth said of her adopted dogs.

Older dogs make great pets, she said. "Older dogs are great for people who don't have a lot of time to exercise them or train them," she said. "They're great for older people for a lot of different reasons. They're easier to handle on a leash and won't pull them down." Older dogs also make great companions for senior citizens.

"I plan on volunteering (at the Agoura Animal Shelter) for a long, long time," Halseth said.

More volunteers are always needed.

For further information, call the Agoura Animal Shelter at (818) 991-0071.