Marble – The Valley River Humane Society was closed and in shock on Feb. 1 after the sudden death of director Kirsty Jane Waller.
In response, the humane society will hold an open meeting at 6 p.m. today at Downtown Pizza in Murphy. All members, volunteers and anyone interested in helping at the animal shelter off of U.S. 19/74 are encouraged to attend; RSVP by email to volunteer@vrhs.org.
Waller, 48, lived in the Jack Branch community of Robbinsville. She was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and received a doctorate degree in animal behavior from the University of Bristol in England before buying a home in Graham County in 1996.
Over the last seven years, she managed the humane society’s shelter, for which she was given credit for helping save the lives of more than 14,000 animals.
“Kirsty is in heaven surrounded by the hundreds of dogs for which she cared that crossed over the Rainbow Bridge with her,” Jeff Manson wrote Friday in a moving tribute on Facebook. “Oh, how spoiled they each will be with her immense love for them all.
“Her dedication was unstoppable, and she worked tirelessly making the decisions for their proper care. I never pretended to understand how she could ride the roller coaster of emotions that is experienced at our shelter everyday.”
One of Waller’s greatest accomplishments was a mission she embarked upon with Natasha Kush of Shelter Dog Transport Alliance. With the local shelter growing in numbers, she understood that transport equated to saving many more lives.
“They each drove separately in two vans through the night to arrive in several Northeastern states by morning, with stops at several rescues, only to turn around and drive straight back home to start the process again,” Manson said. “It is my belief that the extreme passion that Kirsty exhibited was instilled by God, and saving lives was her ultimate mission.”
Kush also shared her feelings of loss.
“We were soldiers fighting the good fight together, and we were determined to do whatever it took to save a life,” Kush said of Waller on Facebook. “The loss of this rescue titan is too profound to even comprehend right now. I’ve never met anyone quite like her, nor am I sure I ever will.
“I brought her work boots home with me and have been staring at them all day. I keep thinking to myself, it’s going to take an army of us to fill them.”
Waller is survived by her husband, Michael Waller; her sister, Gillian Laughlin of London; and her animals she loved so much. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Valley River Humane Society, 7450 U.S. 19 Marble, NC 28905. An online register is at www.townson-smithfuneralhome.com.