At 8 a.m. everyday, staff members arrive at the WAIF shelter in Coupeville for the morning wake up call. As the sun rises, both the barking and meowing inside become constant.

“In the mornings they’re always happy to see us,” said WAIF shelter manager Shari Bibich of the shelter animals.

For the last nine years, Bibich has been leading a daily shelter staff of three, along with a rotating staff of volunteers, through a morning scramble routine.

“People think all we do is come in and pet the animals, but there’s so much we have to do,” said shelter staffer Danyelle Wieman.

In a four-hour period that some days flies like half an hour, all of the shelter’s dogs and cats are fed and given water, cages and kennels are cleaned, medications are administered, cats are selected and prepped for trips to adoption centers and special-needs animals receive a morning checkup.

With Wag ‘n’ Walk, a “big doggie do” fundraiser benefiting WAIF and FETCH! happening this Saturday at Patmore Pit off-leash dog park, the staff has been on their toes. The all day event will be a showcase opportunity with a WAIF alumni contest, all day adopt-a-thon and reunion of the Collies WAIF helped earlier this year to rehabilitate. In addition, demonstrations, vendors, live music and food will round out this dog day. It’s a major fundraiser for Whidbey animal welfare groups, and will be a big boost for the daily operation of the WAIF shelter.

Last Friday morning, 97 cats and 21 dogs were at the shelter, which made the morning routine a big task.

Out in the dog kennels, WAIF staffer Jenny Rector tugs a large plastic garbage can behind her. Breakfast is top priority for the WAIF canines. One-by-one Rector fills the dishes and as they’re filled, one-by-one, the dogs cease barking and munch in silence. Meal time is one of the few times the kennels quiet.

Rector runs about, checking charts for special food requirements and medication dosages. Annie, an eight-month-old Great Dane pup is given medication to treat a bad skin condition. It’s the last dose Rector will give her, as Annie heads to her new home later in the day.

Fifteen minutes after food is dished out, the dogs are sent to the outside portion of their kennels while Rector hoses and scrubs inside.

“It’s not pretty but somebody’s got to do it,” Rector said.

Normally, the shelter has a 45-cat maximum capacity, but that’s been pushed to the limit. Friday morning there were 97 cats at the Coupeville shelter due to two households of 45 and 35 cats coming in earlier this year. The regular cat viewing room is filled to capacity, animal crates are stacked in just about every corner possible, and felines are filling even the most uncommonly used rooms.

WAIF volunteers Mary and Clarence Conkey come in to help with the growing population of WAIF cats, having volunteered time at the shelter for three years.

As Clarence cleans out the cage of one of his favorites, Ms. Bentley, the cat strolls around, purring and rubbing against anything freestanding.

“We enjoy coming in because we feel sorry for them,” he said. “They need us, all they have to call their own now are these little cages.”

Down the hall, 5-month-old feral cats Wander, Whoosie and Whisper cower as Wieman changes their litter and sweeps out their cage. The cats are slowly adjusting to people after being found, brought to WAIF and fostered in an attempt to soften their shy, wild ways.

The shelter doors open to the public at noon, Wednesday through Sunday. On Friday, a small gathering of people waited patiently for WAIF receptionist Donna Merryfield to flip a placard in the front window to read “Open.”

Throughout the day, a random mix of people come into the shelter doors to adopt animals, look for lost animals, surrender animals to WAIF and report possible cases of animal abuse and neglect. Any before-hours work is now thrown for a loop.

“You get to know the routine, but some days that all gets pushed aside when we open cause we get mobbed and you never have a chance to sit down,” Wieman said.

Some animals receive an emergency rescue ride into the shelter from Island County Animal Control officer Carol Barnes.

Around 10 a.m. Friday, Barnes receives a page telling her of a possible injured dog on Resort Road, in the area of Classic Road. She immediately hops into her truck and hurries to the scene, wanting to get there as speedily but legally as possible.

After scouring the area she comes across a brown dog on the side of Resort Road. She approaches the dog slowly, talking to it the whole time.

“She’s just a senior girl who probably decided to go for a walk, got tired and decided to take a rest,” she said.

Barnes loads the dog into the truck and takes her to Penn Cove Veterinary Clinic for a quick exam by Dr. Lark Gustafson before driving her to the shelter. Through the weekend, “Cynthia,” as shelter staff named her, was not doing well and the staff of the minimal kill facility are left to consider euthanasia. Sadly, not all dogs that arrive at WAIF have happy tales.

Through it all, Bibich said she is proud of the abilities of her staff, and the support that has come forward thus far from the community.

This has been a learning year at the shelter. The large numbers of cats brought to WAIF and the emergency care of 32 abused collies brought in from Camano last year made it clear to WAIF staff and the organization’s board of directors that a larger shelter is needed, according to

Currently, the WAIF board is in the process of searching for a proper and affordable location, sketching out the shelter staff’s ideal facility, and beginning the fundraising process. Executive director Lesley Mills said it’s looking to be a four-year road, but one WAIF is willing to travel and hope the community supports.

Wag ‘n’ Walk is a fundraising step on the path to a new shelter, and the much needed donations for the daily operation and upkeep of the current shelter.

“It’s a friend-raiser as much as it’s a fund-raiser. People have a chance to come see the WAIF dogs and meet other pet owners,” Mills said.

Also benefitting from Wag ‘n’ Walk will be the off-leash dog park advocating group FETCH! Already, Free Exercise Time for Canines and their Humans has four open parks that provide a social setting where dog owners can bring their dogs to exercise and interact with other dogs. Patmore Pit Park in Coupeville offers tons of roaming room, Double Bluff Beach allows pups to take a dip, in Oak Harbor a park off Technical Drive is complete and one on Clover Valley is under construction, and on South Whidbey Marguerite Brons Memorial Park has two acres for dogs to roam.

“It’s so hard to explain to people who don’t have dogs what these parks do,” said FETCH! president Pat Buchanan. “But the reason we work well with WAIF is because so many people adopt WAIF dogs and don’t know how much energy they have and they need to get out and exercise. Sometimes dogs get returned people just don’t have the room to let them roam, which these parks allow.”

Culinary Tails

WAIF and FETCH! have worked together to publish a cookbook with mouth watering recipes, adorable photos and heartwarming stories. Over 100 recipes for appetizers, entrees, desserts and recipes for your animal companion are found inside.

“Culinary Tails: Recipes and Whimsy from Whidbey Island” will debut at Wag ‘n’ Walk. Price is $19.95 plus tax (purchase price is tax deductible). All proceeds benefit WAIF and FETCH!