POCATELLO — Jordan Hunt always wanted a dachshund but insisted on rescuing one from an animal shelter.

That opportunity presented itself during the wee hours of Wednesday morning when Hunt and her husband, Josh, waited outside the new Pocatello Animal Shelter — for 10 hours — ensuring they would get their dachshund while also becoming the first people to adopt an animal from the facility.

While Jordan may have found a dachshund earlier by purchasing one online, she routinely declined to do so.

“I’m actually against that,” she said. “There are animals in shelters that need homes. I wanted to rescue a dog.”

Pocatello Animal Shelter Manager Danielle Garcia said, “(The Hunts) got here at midnight and waited for a dog they really wanted. That was our first adoption.”

Officials moved into the shelter on Wednesday. It offers three times the space, while providing 16,000 square feet to house dogs and cats. The original facility, built in the 1970s, had seen much better days, she said.

“That building was literally falling apart,” Garcia said. “We had asbestos. We had leaks. We had all kinds of horrible things.”

The new shelter charges $121.90 to adopt a dog. That fee includes spaying or neutering, a microchip, deworming, a rabies and parvo shot and a city dog license. Cats cost $56.70, and that includes everything except for a city license. Officials give four months and older cats a feline leukemia and AIDS test.

While it’s not a no-kill facility, the shelter works to keep adoptable pets for as long as possible.

“There’s no time limit,” Garcia said “We have some great adoptions.”

Jordan Hunt says she received her fair share of teasing for staying up all night to rescue her dog, who she later named Sandwich.

“Pretty much everyone thought I was insane,” she said.

Yet her family stood by her side. Her dad, John Neeffer, came and sat with her at 5 a.m. Her sister, Jennifer Neeffer, provided some snacks.

“They were very supportive, even though they thought we were overdoing it,” Hunt said.

By 7 a.m., a Pocatello Animal Shelter worker arrived to save the day. The worker helped reserve the dachshund for Hunt, who retrieved the dog at 10 a.m. when the shelter opened.

Last week, Hunt called the Animal Shelter looking for a dachshund and learned a city worker had recently brought in a stray one.

The worker found Hunt’s Sandwich roaming the Pocatello streets and took the pooch to the shelter on Tuesday. As there’s a three-day waiting period that started on Wednesday, followed by the shelter moving to the new facility shortly after, Hunt couldn’t rescue Sandwich until Wednesday of this week.

An Idaho State University student, Jordan is majoring in psychology and plans to pursue a master’s degree in the subject. Once she finishes her education, Hunt plans to work as a high school counselor. Josh also attends ISU, where he studies computer science.  

Jordan Hunt opted not to become a veterinarian.

“I’m too much of a softy for that; I can’t handle hurting animals (while treating them),” she said.

One who grew up with lots of dogs and cats, Jordan says that it’s only natural to continue to do so.

“I always took really good care of them,” she said. “They’ve always been family members.”

Sandwich quickly made herself at home with the Hunts.

“She’s very sweet and playful,” Jordan said. “She’s done really well. She fit in quickly. We took her to Petco yesterday, and she picked out a toy.”

So has Jordan gone to the dogs?

“I guess I’ve always been there. I’ve already been to the dogs. I’m just a dog person,” she joked.

The new Animal Shelter is located right next to the old one at 3100 Avenue of the Chiefs. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. For more information call 234-6156.