Hurt waves at passing cars with Julia, a black lab mix, in front of Lost River Cave. Photo by Miranda Pederson

Pat Hurt could almost be considered a modern-day Doctor Doolittle. The Alvaton woman isnt a veterinarian, but she does believe she has a close bond with animals. I got my love of animals from my mother and the responsibility of caring for animals from my father, she said. You have to be responsible for animals. Hurts love and feelings of responsibility for furry creatures is one reason why shes passionate about her volunteer work for the Bowling Green-Warren County Humane Society something the Fruit of the Loom programmer/analyst has been doing for seven years. I do whatever they need me to do, she said. Im a persistent (public relations) person. Pets have always been a part of Hurts life. Ever since I can remember, we had some sort of pet. I was the caretaker of the animals, said Hurt, remembering her years as a girl growing up on her parents 100-acre farm in Breckinridge County. I thought they could read my mind and I could tell them my problems. I think animals are in tune with your feelings and I feel like Im in tune with theirs. She remembers all the pets she grew up with on her parents farm. Her first pet was a horse. I was 10 years old. I fenced our farm with my father and brother, said Hurt of how she earned the horse. It took all summer, but it was worth it. Wild pets that were injured often found temporary homes with Hurts family. If we found a hurt owl or squirrel, my father would mend it and let it go, she said. Loving pets also meant dealing with their often shorter life spans, Hurt said. Death was hard for me. No animal will replace another animal because each animal is different, she said. We had funerals for any animal who died on the farm. Wed have prayer, songs and digging of the grave. Hurt believes grieving taught her valuable lessons. Its OK to cry and remember the happy times, she said. I think it taught us about life and death. Everything from the dogs and cats to the cows had a name at Hurts parents farm. Its a tradition she and her husband William have kept up at their own small farm. The couples pet menagerie includes two dogs, Sheba and her son, Winston Churchill; Cleo the cat; Chick the quarter horse; and Nevada the burrow. Sheba is the Hurts surprise pet. The dog pregnant and famished was left by someone on their property. Hurt sprang into action. After interviewing several people, she found good homes for four of Shebas five puppies. She also did a follow-up visit to make sure the puppies were safe. She kept one puppy for herself. Hurt doesnt limit her love to just the animals she owns. She also takes one pet home from the animal shelter each week. I take them around to the media and get them adopted, she said. You hope for the best, but you dont expect anything. I dont expect anyone to share my passion for animals, but people surprise you sometimes. Defending those in need is something special for Hurt, who also volunteers for the local Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. People care in this community, its just a matter of educating them and getting the word out, she said. It just takes a little time to make a big difference. There are a lot of people who do more than I do. I do what I can. Sometimes going to the animal shelter overwhelms Hurt, but she knows that she and others like her have to continue their crusade for animals. I wonder how are we going to save them all, she said. Then I realize that we have to look at them one animal at a time. Theres always hope.