Atherton Kennels and Shelter is Continuing a Family Tradition, Serving the Treasure Valley for over 30 years.

But What Tradition and Where Did It All Begin?

Atherton Kennels & Shelter is located on 2.8 acres of land on highway 201 between the Towns of Ontario, Oregon and Nyssa, Oregon.

The property Atherton Kennels currently sits on and a substantial amount of the land that surrounds it was owned by Wilbur and Mira Atherton for many years prior to the kennels beginning.

And the Story Begins

In 1969 – 1970 James (Jim) Atherton, the brother of Wilbur Atherton, and his wife Marcella sold the Chief Café in Cascade, Idaho and moved home to Ontario, Oregon to begin another chapter of their life together. At the time of Jim and Marcella’s relocation the current shelter property was being rented and the future shelter building was a small broke down dairy barn. We have been told that the individual that was renting the property at that time was accepting stray dogs from the City of Ontario. When Jim and Marcella moved onto the property they did not feel that situation was workable with the conditions of the place. They then contacted the City of Ontario to end the previous agreement.

A Need too Great

It wasn’t long before the City contacted Jim to reconsider. There was no other place to take the strays and have them cared for. Jim and Wilbur discussed the proposition and decided it could only work with remodeling and contracts of support from Malheur County and the surrounding towns.

The Decision is Made

With the decision, in 1971 Atherton Kennels was born. Jim had also been asked to be the City of Ontario’s Dog Catcher and had accepted that position with the city. When the remodeling was well on its way, Jim became concerned of the conflict of interest, running the kennel and being the dog catcher could create. With that concern and the increasing lack of time, he left his job with the city behind. At the end of its first year Atherton Kennels and Shelter had taken in 271 dogs and 5 cats and Jim and Marcella had answered 484 phone calls about this new shelter. The signed contracts that followed with Malheur County, the Cities of Ontario, Nyssa and Vale, Oregon had turned the old dairy barn into the county animal shelter.

As Time Goes On

Throughout the years Jim and Marcella worked continuously to have a clean and well run animal shelter. To find homes for the strays that came through their doors and to make sense of the lack of responsibility they were seeing by both dog and cat owners. Jim was a man with a great deal of compassion, which was clearly noticeable when you saw him with the dogs. The respect and love he gave them was returned daily by the animals he cared for. But when he received an animal that had been mistreated, you would see anger with the same intensity he had shown compassion. There was no excuse for human beings to be so cruel.

His Mission

Jim became an advocate; you could hear him on the radio station, KSRV, every Thursday morning with Leo the Lion. He would list the animals that were at the shelter and encourage people to visit often. Whether they were looking for a lost dog or were considering adopting one. He wanted the animals to have a home. He gave school children tours and talked to them about proper pet care. He taught Dog Obedience Classes and judged local dog shows held at the Malheur County Fairgrounds each year. It was his belief that if he was out in the public talking and informing people about the plight of these animals, there would be fewer of them discarded like the trash and more animals would end up in good homes with caring, loving and well informed owners.

He Could Have Been Called
“The Pied Piper of Dogs and Children”

Coming down highway 201 you would see the expanse of trees that lined the highway, and directly behind them, flower and vegetable gardens that bordered the property. Upon entering the driveway it wasn’t unusual to see two Poodles, a Dachshund, a Doberman and several grandchildren at his side. Atherton Kennels was more than his job it was his passion, one that he delighted in handing down to his grandchildren.

The Changing ‘80’s

In 1980, 2,090 dogs came through the doors of Atherton Kennels, this was an increase of more than 1,800 dogs in less than 10 years. During the ‘80’s Jim and Marcella purchased the property the kennels were on and became the sole owners and operators. As owner and operator and with the huge increase in stray dogs Jim became even more determined to make a difference in the lives of these animals and felt the way to do that was through educating people, encouraging them and helping them find the tools to become caring pet owners.

Sadness In the Air
June 30, 1987

We lost my grandfather after a long and courageous fight with cancer. As he had everything else in his life, he gave his whole heart and soul to fight this battle. With this loss their was an irreplaceable void, not only in our family, but in the community, and certainly at Atherton Kennels. Marcella was unable to run the shelter without Jim and in 1988 made the difficult decision to sell it.

A New Day

In 1997 Atherton Kennels was returned to her. Unable to take it back and run it herself Jim and Marcella’s granddaughter Jana and her husband Michael take over as the new owners. The first year we were operating the shelter; there were 1,682 animals that entered the shelter. Growing up around my grandparents and taking every opportunity to follow my grandfather around the animal shelter became a learning experience. He found it very important to instill his love and respect for animals on me. He made sure that I was given a clear understanding of the realities of an animal shelter. That I knew about the sadness and anger that was present but also the wonderful feeling of joy having a shelter can bring. As he had always educated everyone, he also spread that knowledge to me, teaching me how to train dogs and show them, to understand how close a relationship with a well trained dog could be. To understand that owning a dog was a huge responsibility. I learned how to groom dogs and care for my dog correctly. Now here I was with my husband and two sons walking the same path I had followed him on. Finally understanding and implementing everything he had taught me.

Atherton Kennels and Shelter Today

In 2001, thirty years after Jim and Marcella Atherton had opened their doors and lives to over 250 dogs, Michael and Jana opened them to 1,322. It is our hope that with the work we do in the community and our involvement in starting a new 4-H Dog Club (The K-9 Kruisers) we are helping the public too understand what it takes and how necessary it is too be a responsible pet owner. We are still at the same location with the same name that began it all. We currently have contracts with Malheur County, the Cities of Ontario, Nyssa, and Vale, Oregon, as well as the City of Payette, Idaho, and agreements with Payette County, New Plymouth and Fruitland, Idaho to accept their strays. On a daily basis we have animals come through our shelter doors from all over Idaho and Oregon and occasionally other states as well. As Jim did, we still work hard to run a clean and sanitary shelter, to educate and to help individuals in becoming successful pet owners.

Where Our Dreams Lead

In February of 2002 Michael left his full-time job in order to assure the shelter maintained Jim Atherton’s vision. A shelter run with the cleanliness, service and caring it deserves. Currently, we are only accepting dogs. We have plans for updating and decorating our shelter so walking through the doors is bright, cheerful and a pleasant experience. It is important to us that you come back to visit us, the more people we see, the more animals that find caring and loving homes.

The Tradition Continues

Today as you travel down the highway to visit our shelter, things have changed. Instead of the enormous flower and vegetable gardens, you’ll find grass. Instead of trees lining the highway you will see our Atherton Kennels & Shelter Sign. When you enter the driveway, you’ll see a different house, more buildings, more and larger signage and now younger owners. There will be Michael either in the shelter or in the yard, usually with a cat tagging behind him and occasionally you will see the current version of the “Pied Piper of Dogs and Children,” Jim and Marcella’s granddaughter, Jana with a Poodle, Shih Tzu, German Shepherd, 2 sons and an occasional niece or nephew at her side.

CONTINUING THE FAMILY TRADITION