POCATELLO — Pocatello artist Linda Wolfe has combined her two great passions in order to benefit the Pocatello Animal Shelter. She has combined her love for drawing and her love for animals to develop a new program wherein she will draw a portrait of any animal lover’s pet, and the $45 fee for the portrait will be donated to the shelter’s building fund.

    “I have been an artist since I was a little girl,” says Wolfe. “I really care about the animal shelter, and I wanted to help them somehow. I don’t have a lot of money to donate, but I can draw. This is one way I can raise awareness and contribute.”

     “I was raised on a farm,” Wolfe said.  “Animals have been my lifetime love, and it’s grown into a passion. All of my artwork has animals in it, or something related to animals. Then I realized that with my passion for drawing I could help out.”

    With her lifelike portraits, Wolfe captures the friendliness of a golden retriever, the intelligence of a collie, the warm fuzziness of a tabby cat, and the cuteness of a Yorkie. Wolfe says she uses photographs to help her illustrate the essence of someone’s favorite pet, especially the eyes. “I need a good photo of the animal, color or black and white. And I have to know what color its eyes are.”  

    Mary Remer, director of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, welcomes the new animal portrait program, and Wolfe’s enthusiastic support. Remer and the Animal Control Department have been working on plans for a new shelter for several years. “We’re all aware that we need this new building sooner rather than later. And we are closer now than ever before,” she said. Remer is hoping to break ground for the new shelter within a year.

    Remer explained why the new shelter is so desperately needed. “On an average day we have about 100 animals here, and more than that in the summer. On average we adopt out three to five animals a day.” Remer says they try to hold the animals on the premises for as long as possible before sickness or lack of space forces them to make decisions about euthanizing animals.

    “We run out of room for cats very quickly,” said Remer, “and they get very stressed. Stressed cats become sick cats. In the present shelter there is no room to separate the cats from the dogs. In the new shelter, cats will be in a different area.”

    “When we get the new shelter we want it to be like a community center where people can bring the family and just come for a visit,” Remer continued. “The new building would have showing pens and separate holding pens. This will help us be able to show our animals and adopt them out more quickly. We will have an education center and incorporate kids activities, and be able to have classes for animal owners.” 

    Wolfe has been a long-time supporter of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, and has adopted both of her dogs from the shelter. One is a mixed breed, and the other is Rosie, a border collie that had been abused and abandoned, who Wolfe says she has turned into a “real sweetheart.’’

    “These animal portraits would make great sentimental gifts. People could also have the portrait as a memorial of a beloved pet,” said Wolfe. “These people here, Mary and her employees, work so hard. They need a new building. I promised Mary that when we get the new building I would paint some murals on the walls.” 

    “I just want to encourage people to find a way to help the animal shelter,” Wolfe said. “I feel that it’s time for people to step out and use the talents they have to help raise money for the new shelter. If we want to make the new animal shelter happen, we have to be a part of the happening.”

Pet art

    All proceeds of the Animal Portraits program go to help fund the building of the new Animal Shelter. Portraits are 8  by 11 inches, using colored pencil, at the cost of $45 each. Clients must provide one or two good photographs of their animal. For more information or to set up an appointment, call Linda Wolfe at 232-2290.

    The Pocatello Animal Shelter can always use donations of supplies such as food, blankets, animal toys, treats, and dog chew bones. The shelter is located in the upper level of Ross Park at 3100 Avenue of the Chiefs. Telephone: 208 234-6156. Monetary donations can also be made directly to the non-profit organization, Friends of the Pocatello Animal Shelter, at

P.O. Box 281

Pocatello, ID 83204

208 234-6156

www.friendsofthepocatelloanimalshelter.org