Kind Doctor Won’t Tolerate Animal Cruelty

The woman told Dr. Kendall Bodkin that her puppy was seriously sick. Bodkin suspected viral diarrhea, a potential killer. The woman told him to do whatever was necessary, then left. He never saw her again.

“She knew what she was going to do when she came in,” Bodkin says now, with disgust. “It’s happened plenty of times before.”

Bodkin is a friendly, big-hearted veterinarian in Hayden. He says he doesn’t euthanize any animal without questioning whether he’ll be able to sleep at night. But this woman went too far.

“She took advantage of me. It was so intentional,” he says, clearly unable to understand such behavior. She provoked him to do something he’s never done before - he turned her in to the police.

Bodkin has played the role of public pet protector since he arrived in Kootenai County in 1990.

He volunteers to check horses that sheriff’s deputies suspect are abused. He visits schools and teaches young kids to respect their pets and older ones how to neuter them. He lets kids work in his office.

“It’s fun to get kids enthusiastic, show them animals aren’t disposable,” he says.

People have correctly linked Bodkin’s name with compassion and too often leave their unwanted animals with him rather than with the humane society.

They ask him to euthanize pets with broken legs or killer breath. He asks them to give him ownership of the animals so he can treat them and find them homes. He’s adopted four cats, two dogs and a crow himself.

People who have abandoned their animals in his office have stuck him with $13,000 in unpaid bills. The woman who tricked him last month finally pushed him over the edge. “She made me feel stupid,” he says.

Her puppy just had an upset stomach. Bodkin spayed and vaccinated the dog and found it a good home. Then he asked police to file a misdemeanor abandonment charge the woman will have to answer for in court.

“I may seem cold-hearted,” he says, looking like a boy with hurt feelings. “But someone needs to tell people they can’t do this. Too many people treat animals like this and it makes me sick.”

A fine fine

Coeur d’Alene’s Barbara Jarrett crossed the wrong library when she failed to return four books to North Idaho College. Barbara says she found the books in her house two years after they were due, returned them and was hit with a $216 bill.

She complained to NIC and was told she had 30 days to pay or a collection agency would get her delinquent account.

Barbara plans to pay - she wants to return to NIC someday. But she says she at least should get to keep the books for her money.

Library director Mary Carr thinks otherwise. She asked for a collection agency’s help a year or so ago when 400 people had failed to return a total of $20,000 worth of books.

“People don’t realize they’re breaking the law,” Mary says. “If someone’s taking taxpayers’ property, they ought to pay.”

Most of Barbara’s bill covers the cost of the books. NIC replaced them long ago and now is happy to have a second set.

“I should never have turned them in,” groused Barbara. Or cleaned house in the first place.

Car-toons

I get the funniest looks from other drivers when I’m driving alone in my car. I’m learning French by tape and look like I’m talking to myself or mouthing something at oncoming cars. Some drivers even mouth things back, but luckily I don’t read lips.

What have you seen in passing cars that made your head turn in disbelief? Get into gear and speed your tale to Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; FAX to 765-7149; or call 765-7128.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo