A love of L.I.F.E.
story by Jennifer King
Betty Martin is not one to keep her love for animals on a short leash.
Since high school, she has worked to improve the lives of four-legged companions.
“I am an animal lover,” Betty says. “My whole family is.”
The retired veterinary technician is co-founder and president of L.I.F.E. House, a no-kill shelter staffed by volunteers and kept open by donations.
“Every day is a leap of faith,” she says. “But it’s working, and as long as it keeps working, it’s what we will keep doing.”
The shelter's name stands for "Let Important Friends Exist." Instead of euthanizing animals when it's faced with overcrowding, the shelter places animals in other no-kill shelters around the country.
A typical day can involve anything from cleaning up dog poop to shuffling paperwork, finalizing adoptions and transporting animals.
“L.I.F.E. House is so much more than I envisioned it to be,” she says.
Betty never imagined that she would be able to continue working with animals after high school.
“After my father died when I was 10, my family was very poor and struggled to make ends meet,” she says. “I thought working with animals professionally was out of the question for me.”
Luckily, Dr. Len Shirrell, a local veterinarian, thought differently.
He added Betty to the full-time staff at his practice after she graduated from high school, and she worked for him until he sold his practice 30 years later. After working for a few more years at another vet office, Betty retired and began developing plans for L.I.F.E. House.
“I really think that God had a plan for me,” Betty says. “Everything has led to me being able to be here.”
Betty Martin releases a playgroup of dogs from their downstairs kennels during the morning dog shift at L.I.F.E. House for Animals in Frankfort. Dogs at the no-kill shelter are placed in playgroups depending on their compatibility.
With the assistance of Erin Mitchell (left), Betty prepares to give cats Dexter (left) and Denali (right) their final booster shots before they have surgery to be neutered and spayed, respectively.
On his way outside, Conner, an 11-week-old beagle-boxer mix, can wait no longer. Conner is a guest at L.I.F.E. House, a no-kill shelter in Frankfort. He has had two offers for adoption.
As part of the early morning dog shift, Betty cleans out Conner's crate by replacing the food, water and newspapers. Dog shifts occur at least twice a day, but crate cleaning is done as needed, especially for puppies that aren't housebroken.
Reluctant to relinquish ownership of his beloved Chihuahua, Taco Bingo, Sean Redmon of Frankfort gives her one last goodbye as Betty, shelter president, extends her arms to take Taco to her temporary quarters.
Lesa Dillon (right), of Lawrenceburg, holds Jackson, a border collie mix, as Betty clips his toenails during a routine checkup. Jackson is part of a foster-to-adoption program at the shelter. Prospective owners interested in dogs not fully up-to-date on their medical treatments can foster a dog prior to completing the adoption process.
Morning light illuminates the field just outside of L.I.F.E. House for Animals as Betty walks Ginger, whose owner died, forcing family members who couldn't care for the dog to relinquish ownership to the shelter.
To wind down, Betty enjoys a glass of wine while working on a jigsaw puzzle. "Pixie likes to squeeze in right behind me whenever I sit in this chair," she says. Her other dogs roam around until a potty break and bedtime.
Betty pets Journey, a three-legged Beagle, before going to bed. Three of the seven dogs sleep in bed with Betty and her husband every night: Pixie, Reggie, and Journey.