A Life Transformed: Meet Dean
Two months ago, a community member and her child were walking along a local beach. They spotted something in the distance but had to move closer to see if their eyes were deceiving them. There, lying in the cold rain amongst the sand and rock, was a dog. His body was emaciated, and his limbs were limp. The community member thought the dog had passed, but he weakly lifted his head, asking for help. And help came. Thanks to her fast thinking, the community member rushed him to her car and brought him straight to Kitsap Humane Society.

When Dean came to us, we didn't know if he would make it. Weighing barely 30 pounds, hardly moving, and cold to the touch, his prognosis didn't look good, but we knew we had to try. With immediate and careful action by our vet service team, Dean was put on a steady regimen to gain strength and weight. In just a few days, his spirits improved, and he was learning to walk again!

Just over a month after Dean was found, he was a whole new pup. The three-year-old, blue and white pittie reached his goal weight of 48 pounds and was ready to be adopted! While in our care, we learned that Dean is a huge fan of stuffed toys (especially the ones with squeakers), relaxing in the sunshine, showing off his new bod, and cuddling. 

While we don't know how Dean ended up in the condition he was in; we are so inspired by the resilience and love that Dean has shown. And we are so thankful for the vigilant and compassionate community member that rescued Dean, our vet team that cared for him, and each person that has been a part of Dean's journey to health at KHS. Dean is why we do what we do! And we're happy to say that Dean has since found his forever family! 
Animal Krackers Tickets on Sale August 5!
Get ready for a night of glitz, glamour, and fun at Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort. Animal Krackers presented by Brown Bear Car Wash is Saturday, September 25, 2021, from 5-9 pm. This benefit dinner and auction raise lifesaving funds for shelter pets and is the highlight of our year!
 
Our 28th Annual Animal Krackers will be celebrated in two parts! We will kick off with an Online Auction from Sept. 20-25 where you can explore unique items and experiences available for your bidding pleasure from the comfort of your own home. Then, join us on Saturday, Sept. 25 for our fabulous in-person event at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort complete with dinner, exciting silent, and live auctions, a chance to raise your paddle for the animals, and heartwarming stories.
 
Tickets go on sale on August 5!
Drinking Wine, Feline Fine at Wine & Whiskers
If you love wine and shelter pets, this one's for you! Enjoy delicious local wines while supporting Kitsap Humane Society during Wine & Whiskers: a self-guided wine tour going on all month long. Purchase a ticket and receive a Wine & Whiskers passport that gets you one free tasting experience at each of our 8 fur-bulous participating wineries. Select the VIP option and you’ll also receive a commemorative wine glass!
 
Don't forget to snag some “Drinking Wine, Feline Fine” apparel to sport while you sip this summer. Browse t-shirts, tank tops, and more featuring our adorable Wine & Whiskers mascot.
Adorable Adoptable
Meet Billy!
Billy is a big, rambunctious goofball looking for a home where he can do zoomies to his heart's content, play with toys, and go for an occasional dip in the kiddie pool. Billy has a hilarious personality and will plop down on the ground to ask for belly rubs. He knows "sit" and is very treat motivated, so he would love to learn even more fun tricks. At the end of the day, Billy will lounge on his dog bed for a snooze. He may try to join you on the couch for some cuddles, but at more than 80 pounds, he isn't quite the lapdog he thinks he is! If Billy seems like the perfect fit for you, stop by our Pet Adoption Center to meet him! 
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Demaris Johanek
Meet Demaris Johanek – the shy dog extraordinaire! 

Demaris has been a foster parent with KHS since 2018, and within that time, she has fostered 11 dogs! While Demaris has fostered dogs (and puppies) with varying needs, she's become an essential foster home for shy and undersocialized dogs needing time away from the shelter environment this past year. 

Pebbles, a transfer from one of our partner shelters in Eastern Washington, was nervous and was not feeling comfortable enough to come out of her kennel for walks when she first came to KHS. Pebbles went to foster with Demaris in May of 2021, and with some patience and time to settle in, completely blossomed! Pebbles would regularly play with Demaris's resident dogs, Lucky and Marco, and take car rides to coffee shops and hardware stores. Now, Pebbles has found her forever family thanks to Demaris's patience and kindness.

In addition to fostering, Demaris also volunteers in the shelter regularly, helping with laundry and dog-walking.

"My time at KHS began in 2017, with a very eager 13-year-old daughter who wanted to volunteer," said Demaris.
"We walked dogs, folded laundry, cleaned crates, and helped the photo team for about a year and a half. We love fostering dogs because fostering gives our entire family so much joy in seeing the pups let down their guard and let their true self show. Participating in the animals’ rehabilitation and showering them with attention is so gratifying."

Thank you for being a wonderful foster parent, Demaris! We feel so lucky to have you on the team and look forward to seeing all the lifesaving work you do in the future.
Staff Spotlight
Meet Jordan Buck
Meet this month's staff spotlight, Animal Control Officer (ACO) Jordan Buck! 

ACO Buck joined Kitsap Humane Society as an officer in December 2020, and he’s very quickly made a huge impact! His supervisor says, “We are so happy to have ACO Buck as part of our KHS team. Jordan has worked at other shelters in various roles and has brought so much compassion to his current role at KHS.”

Jordan shares, “My favorite part of working at KHS is knowing that I’m directly involved in saving the lives of those who cannot speak up and defend themselves.”

“One thing I would love for the community to know is that working as an Animal Control Officer at KHS, we care deeply about what we do."
"Like everyone else working in the shelter, we hope to one day put ourselves out of a job by saving every single animal and educating our community on how to best care for and treat our furry, scaly, and feathery companions.”

We think you’re off to a great start, ACO Buck! Thank you for your compassionate care for all of our community members!
Community Spotlight
Visual Options
This month we're putting our paws together for one of our favorite animal-loving businesses, Visual Options! Not only has Visual Options been a long-time supporter of KHS, but they are also a Platinum Paw sponsor of this year's Animal Krackers! Visual Options is a team of talented fabricators that use innovative, cutting-edge technology and quality craftsmanship to design and manufacture visual needs for businesses and individuals across the nation. Including our KHS donation boxes!
They are committed to giving back to their community and making a difference in the lives of animals. On behalf of the animals, thank you, Visual Options!
Puppuccino Pal Spotlight
His Ohana Shave Ice
What better way to enjoy the warm, sunny days of August than with a cup of shave ice? This month, our Puppuccino Pal is a little different, and the pups are here for it! That’s right, our August Puppuccino Sponsor is His Ohana Shave Ice, and instead of slurping up the classic whipped cream puppuccino, our pups will be chowing down on Puppy Ice (shave ice with a creamy peanut butter topping) created by this lovely local and family-owned business.

His Ohana Shave Ice is the destination in Kitsap for traditional Hawaiian shave ice. Straight from Hawaii, their shave ice machine creates delicious, fluffy, snowy treats.

“Everything about what we do and how we do it is with love in mind,” said Nicole Whitener, His Ohana Shave Ice owner. “Every syrup that is made, every product that is purchased, and every decision is made with the future of our community in mind. That's why we buy high-end syrups, make our treats with real sugar, and use biodegradable products. We also give back to our community by supporting our youth groups." 
“We are an animal-loving family. We have four rescue dogs Sarge (English bulldog), Tony (French bulldog), Buddy (Chocolate lab), and Max (German Shepherd). We love what KHS does for our community and love that they are a like-minded organization that cares for our furry friends.”

Check out His Ohana Shave Ice located at 50 NW Glade Ct, Bremerton, WA 98311. His Ohana Shave Ice is available for private events like birthdays and weddings.
Many Thanks to Our Grand Shelter Sponsor:
Kitsap Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; Tax ID: 91-0728353