It's served as a home-away-from-home for thousands of pets over the years. Jason Torreano visited the Central Dakota Humane Society in Mandan to get a glimpse at the tough, but rewarding work that goes with caring for our four-legged companions.

Life has lead them to the Central Dakota Humane Society for different reasons. Some of the dogs and cats here have been surrendered. Others have been abused, a couple are the four-legged victims of Hurricane Katrina; left homeless after the storm tore through New Orleans.

All are here, looking for a second start. Nancy Fehr is a full-time staff member at the shelter and says her job is a toughbut rewarding one.

"They get love and attention and affection every day, and to me, they're all mine until they go home and then I'm not he crazy animal lady on my block," said Feher.

The self-professed "crazy animal lady" says 70 cats and 60 dogs currently call the Central Dakota Humane Society homeand "home" is a term people who work at the shelter don't use lightly.

"This is their home until they go home, we do everything in our power to find them a home," Fehr told K-X News Reporter Jason Torreano.

The shelter is a no-kill one. That means every animal stays, unless it's in pain, until it finds a second family.

"Sometimes when they go home there are tears because we get attached to them," Fehr said.

While there are tears when one animal leaves, there's always another animal to take its place. The shelter operates almost continuously at capacity with hundreds of animals on a waiting list. CDHS encourages people to exhaust their options before putting their pet on a shelter waiting list. "There's BisMan online," said Fehr. "There's the paper, there's posters, there's friends/relatives/family. There's lots of ways you can work on placing your own pet."

Some animals stay for years, waiting, hoping, wishing somebody might come by and notice them.

If you're interested in learning any more about the Central Dakota Humane Society, you can check out their website: www.cdhs.net, or stop on by. They're located at 2104 37th Street in Mandan. watch the video | save this article / add to your favorites list