Energizing Communities

Idaho Power’s strong connection to the communities where our employees live and work spans more than 100 years. Our local roots run deep and we’re proud to contribute time, talent and financial support to enrich the lives of our neighbors.

Volunteer Spotlight: Michelle Glaze

Make no bones about it — Idaho Power Energy Advisor Michelle Glaze is a bona fide animal lover.

By day, Michelle works one-on-one with customers to help them save energy and money. By night (and on weekends), Michelle comes to the rescue of Canyon and Ada county animals in need. Michelle is not affiliated with a specific rescue organization but works independently and gets many of her leads from driving through neighborhoods, word-of-mouth or by monitoring lost-pet pages on the internet through sites like Facebook and Nextdoor. After doing this work for nearly 30 years, people know to call Michelle if they need pet help.

Michelle is a lifelong animal advocate, and her willingness to help knows no bounds. She has safely trapped lost pets, scanned for identifying microchips, driven animals to the veterinarian, provided temporary food and shelter and helped to raise money for pets in need.

Michelle recently helped a dog owner trap her Corgi that had been missing for 21 days near Lake Lowell southwest of Nampa. Timing is everything when it comes to animal trapping, and Michelle worked with the animal’s owner to find the perfect time to set a live trap. Because of the owner’s and Michelle’s hard work and patience, the Corgi was happily rescued and returned home.

Last year, Michelle rescued a female German Shepherd that had been chained outside during the coldest winter days. She approached the owners who said the dog belonged to their son (who had recently moved into an apartment), and they did not have money to care for it. Michelle raised $1,600 in three days through a fundraiser on Nextdoor. She took the family to D&B Supply where they bought the dog a large dog run and covered the costs to buy a new insulated dog house, a dog bed, astro turf, and the supplies to cover the dog run from rain and snow. She’s now safe and happy — and no longer chained without shelter.

“I must leave the animal in a better situation than I found it. I can’t stand by — I have to be their voice,” she said. Michelle also gives credit to the wonderful animal advocate community that surrounds her — currently they’re making blankets for kittens!

In addition to helping animals throughout the community, Michelle also cares for her own dog, a Catahoula who immediately formed a strong bond with her after she fostered him from an unsafe environment.

And her work isn’t limited to dogs: Michelle has rescued cats, squirrels, chickens and horses. If it has fur or feathers, it has a faithful friend at Idaho Power.