Elfriede Milburn

Nearly three decades ago, when Moyer Animal Shelter director Elfriede Milburn was a spry 60-year-old, she took on the city’s need for a proper shelter and founded what became a successful sanctuary for lost and unwanted pets. But now the 87-year-old needs a helping hand.

Milburn took on the project during her husband Jim’s service as Powell mayor. He served as mayor from 1997 to 2004 before his death in 2018. She has always loved dogs and cats and her passion has helped the city deal with homeless animals in a humane, loving way.

However, at 87, Milburn has trouble lifting 40-pound bags of dog food and heavy buckets of water — needed every day as the shelter should have put up a “no vacancy” sign months ago. There were 25 cats and 13 dogs to care for at the small shelter last Thursday.

“It’s too many,” she said as she moved the large dogs from the kennels to the outdoor play area. “Nobody is coming in to adopt them.”

While the dogs are friendly, most are large enough to knock Milburn over in a brief moment of excitement. Her own dog, Emma, is blind and deaf and was included in the number of dogs at the shelter that day. Yet, like Milburn, the friendly, fluffy senior citizen is more than capable of marching around the perimeter of the property and is unafraid as she “helps” Milburn when the big dogs are on a mission to play.

Nobody would take Emma, so of course Milburn stepped in to give the tiny shih tzu a happy life. For a long time she has made a cat with zero chance of being adopted a permanent resident with her. To be honest, you can’t tell if the cat is going to purr or bare its teeth when approached; a perfect companion for the director.

Make no mistake, Milburn may be slightly less capable now than she was as a youngster at 60, but her love for service still provides the community (as well as the City of Powell) with comfort knowing that should their pet(s) get loose and picked up by the city, they will be well cared for until their return — as well as caring for previously unwanted pets looking for a new permanent home no matter how long it takes. And the price is right. Milburn has never accepted a paycheck for her decades of work.

In a thick German accent, she still commands respect from both animals and humans alike.

“She’s a very proud person and she’s not going to say, ‘I can’t do this,’” said former educator and current Powell Police Department chaplain Bill Willavize, 84.

Milburn seems at ease realizing at this point that she needs help. But she’ll probably stay in the position until she drops, he said.

“You know, when you love something like she does, that’s not a bad place to be when you die,” Willavize said.

He comes in for a few hours a week to volunteer and receives a huge return for his labor in the form of friendships — some longer than others — with pets in the shelter.

“I scoop poop and clean the outside cages, and I move water around inside,” Willavize said. “I also do odd jobs related to cleaning up the cages, and then I spend some time scratching tummies and telling dogs they are OK.”

He prefers working with the dogs more than cats, but will do any job needed during his hours of service.

When you walk back to look at the dogs, they get excited and bark in a combined chorus loud enough to make you rethink your goals. Yet, when Willavize is there, the dogs are calm, willing to quietly wait and wanting nothing more than his loving attention.

He heard about the need from a friend and simply went to the shelter and announced he was there to help. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often.

Enter Paula Mankin, a volunteer working her way up from the ground level to the board of directors. She is championing the volunteer program and is constantly looking for volunteers who share her mission of love. But it’s not easy. Of the few volunteers who have signed up to help, sadly only a few stick around, she said.

“I want them to know, for one thing, is that I give them the opportunity to get trained and try out the position before they sign up. And second, that they can sign up for as little or as much as they want. It isn’t like you have to be here every weekend. So we’ll take whatever we can get, because the more we have, the easier it is for all the volunteers,” she said.

Mankin said even if a person wanted to work one shift a month, she can use you. But what she needs right now are volunteers willing to make a commitment, no matter how small of a window they have for being there while Milburn works — just to make sure she is safe while on duty.

It sounds like a dream job. Your pay: You are expected to comfort dogs and cats, getting to know them and advocating for their adoptions during every shift. Ten minutes with many of the residents and the stress of the day melts off like cheap butter pats.

This past week three yellow-striped kittens stole the show. They love to be very close to people while the other 22 adult cats are simply looking for a comfortable spot to watch the nonstop comedy routine. Almost every dog is looking for a new friend. One of Willavize’s favorite hounds will sit at the volunteer’s feet and wait for him to bend down for a friendly lick.

“It’s a joy doing something that needs to be done,” Willavize said. “There is joy from just being around the critters and the people here. A lot of [pets up for adoption] are lonely, and a voice and a personal touch is pretty important. That’s my joy.”

Their greatest need is currently Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, but any help is welcome. Mankin simply wants to surround Milburn with help as often as possible as the founder works toward 30 years of service. The facility is also looking for Purina Dog Chow and kitty litter as donations of food and supplies have been slowing to a trickle while economic unrest plagues the area.

Interested in volunteering? Call Paula at 307-355-9426.