A Year Like No Other - Looking Back at 2020
It is no secret that 2020 was a difficult year. Even though Kitsap Humane Society faced challenges we had never seen before, the wonderful support of our community and the hard work of our staff and volunteers helped us continue to provide lifesaving care to animals in need.
 
Here are the high points from this year that was unlike any other:
 
  • Despite the pandemic, KHS achieved a lifesaving rate of 96.83%, one of the highest in the country for six years running, and 3,676 pets were rehomed.
  • We onboarded 93 new foster homes and placed 1,042 pets in loving foster homes this year. Nearly 30% of all pets who came to KHS in 2020 spent time in foster homes, significantly higher than in any year prior.
  • Due to our new appointment-based adoption process, our pets’ average length of in-shelter stay and return rate decreased.
  • 54 guinea pigs were rescued from unsafe living conditions on a Seabeck property.
  • From March to June, KHS Animal Control rescued 29 cats from an overcrowded, unsafe residence known to have cats infected with panleukopenia (a highly contagious, highly fatal virus for cats). All of the cats and kittens survived due to the care they received at KHS and have all since been adopted. 
KHS Announces Executive Transition
When Eric Stevens, our current Executive Director at KHS, took the reins in 2012, the shelter was in dire need of a leader to navigate the organization through not only a challenging financial period but a time of uncertainty that impacted the shelter’s position in the community. And over the last eight years, Eric has done so much more than that.

Today, KHS stands as a regional and national leader in animal welfare, adopting thousands of pets into loving homes annually and maintaining a lifesaving rate of 96% or better year after year.

During Eric’s tenure as Executive Director, KHS has implemented progressive initiatives, including the Rescue Me program, which transfers in thousands of at-risk animals each year, advanced the shelter’s lifesaving veterinary care as more than half of the animals that come into KHS require critical medical rehabilitation, established a growing foster and volunteer network giving respite to animals in need, strengthened the professionalism and excellence of our Animal Control services, and made a greater commitment to pets’ success through increased behavior and enrichment training.

In October 2019, thanks to a large-scale capital campaign with broad support across the community, KHS addressed the longstanding need to improve sheltering for animals in Kitsap County with the opening of the new Pet Adoption Center. Further renovations led to a new Canine Behavior Training Center, which opened in May 2020.

Beginning Spring 2021, Eric will transition into a new role at KHS as Capital Campaign/Project Director, where he will spearhead the shelter’s second phase of the Capital Campaign, focused on the construction of the Veterinary Lifesaving Center, scheduled to open in 2022.

KHS’s Board of Directors is now conducting a nationwide search to select Eric’s successor with the assistance of the Valtas Group, a recruiting firm.
One Unique Cat Finds His Unique Forever Family
After almost two months at Kitsap Humane Society, our unique pal Thomas has found the loving family he always wanted.

Every kitty is a little different… Thomas is an adorable senior cat who came to Kitsap Humane Society as a stray. When Thomas arrived, his upper lip was red and sore. Our vets diagnosed him with a condition called Indolent Ulcer, also known as rodent ulcer. His condition means that he had allergies that were left untreated, resulting in inflammation of his upper lip. Once Thomas was at KHS, our vet team got him started on treatment right away, and he is now feeling a lot better! 

“Thomas has been doing great!” said his adopter. “With him being an older cat, we have tried to introduce him to the household slowly. But he fell in love with everyone as soon as he got here. Though the medicine isn't his favorite thing, Thomas does a pretty good job taking it." 
Holiday Photo Contest raises over $8,000!
Meet the winners of the 2020 Happy Pawlidays Pet Photo Contest: Violet, Maui, and Benjamin!

KHS supporters embraced the holiday spirit by participating in our first-ever Happy Pawlidays Pet Photo Contest. 79 holly jolly dogs, festive felines, and merry little critters from all over the state participated in this festive fundraiser -- including snakes, llamas, and turtles! Thanks to our generous community, we more than doubled our goal and raised $8,063 for shelter pets at Kitsap Humane Society. Thank you to all who participated!
Save the Dates: 2021 Events
2021 KHS Calendars Available!
Adorable Adoptable
Meet Sunny and Boom!
These two handsome rabbits are the best of friends, so they are looking to go to their forever home together. Sunny and Boom like to snuggle with each other and even groom each other! Sunny is white with cute brown spots all over, and Boom is all black. These buns love chew blocks, yummy snacks like lettuce and celery tops, and enriching games and toys. Are you looking for an adorable pair of bunnies to add some love to your life? Check out our bookings page to make an appointment to meet them!
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Pat Garrett
In the six years that Pat Garrett has been volunteering with us, he has clocked 1,625 hours of volunteer work. To say that he is someone that we can all rely on would be an understatement. He quickly moved up the ranks, becoming one of our most dedicated lead dog walkers. His devotion to our canine friends is steadfast, setting the tone for other walkers on his shift and always coming to the rescue when we are shorthanded. Pat is someone who leads by example, and his big heart is truly connected to the other end of the leash.
 
In addition to his service as a lead walker, he is our go-to animal transporter. You could even call him the wind beneath our transport wings! For most of our transports, he is accompanied by his wife Ann, who has logged quite a few hours herself! Together they are a dream team, hitting the road for short and long drives to deliver our most precious cargo or picking up new noses and bringing them to our shelter. Way to go, Pat, you are truly PAWsome!
Employee Spotlight
Meet Dylan Vaughan
New year, new staff member spotlight! This month, meet Dylan Vaughn, a Customer Service Representative Lead at KHS whose patience, kindness, and a soft spot for senior pets make him a beloved team member! 

“My favorite part about working at KHS is being able to help our community’s pets in need and working with such great people,” Dylan said. And he definitely has! Dylan adopted a senior cat only a year after he started working at KHS named Specials. Sadly, Specials has since crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and Dylan is on the lookout for his next senior companion.

“Dylan is patient, helpful, and always polite with every single customer, even when the interaction is difficult,” Dylan’s supervisor shared. “Not only is Dylan amazing with customers, he keeps the immense paper-flow running seamlessly and is also the "go-to" guy to resolve technical or software issues! He has saved the day more times than we can count!”

Thank you for all you do, Dylan!
Align your business with a beloved local charity!
Kitsap Humane Society is looking for corporate partners for our 2021 event season! KHS is proud to be one of Kitsap’s most trusted and respected charities, with a high level of brand recognition and broad community engagement. Dozens of local businesses and corporations have benefited from partnering with Kitsap Humane Society as an event sponsor, and you can, too! 

If you're interested in our 2021 partnership opportunities, please email Events & Outreach Manager Amanda Graham at agraham@kitsap-humane.org.
Many Thanks to Our Grand Shelter Sponsor:
Kitsap Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; Tax ID: 91-0728353