Thanks to You, We're Caring for Animals in a Time of Crisis
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Animal people, we are so grateful for you! When KHS revamped operations to comply with safety measures under the state’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, we didn't know what to expect.
Well, our community stepped up, as
it always does! Despite a reduction in adoption hours, limits on the number of customers in our Pet Adoption Center at one time, and a new adoption appointment system,
136 pets have been adopted since March 18
!
Last weekend, every cat in our care was adopted and we started this week with only eight dogs in our kennels awaiting forever homes. Don’t worry, though, we have lots of pets returning to the shelter from foster care when they’re strong and old enough. If you haven’t yet found your perfect match, check our
website
daily for new arrivals and make an appointment to meet your new best friend!
We also want to give a shout out to our
dedicated foster parents
for caring for animals in their homes (including nursing puppies and kittens!) and to our
volunteers
, who are walking dogs and making masks for our staff and volunteers. It takes a village, and our community is so generous with its time, talent and love for animals. Thank you!
If you would like to learn more about how Kitsap Humane Society is “Caring for Animals in a Time of Crisis,” both operationally and in emergency fundraising efforts, click through to our blog.
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Make Your Great Give Donation TODAY
and it will be DOUBLED!
Thanks to several generous donors, we have a $150,000 match to help us raise $300,000 for our Emergency Fund and Matching Gift Campaign. Give generously and your gift will be matched, dollar for dollar, to care for 2,000 homeless animals in the next few months. Make sure to
designate your gift to Kitsap Humane Society on the
Make your gift now!
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Make a Plan for Pets in Case You Get Sick
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Many animal lovers in our community are worried about who will care for their pets if they become sick or need to be hospitalized. This is an ideal time to make a plan for your pets, whether the emergency is coronavirus infection or a natural disaster. Here are some valuable tips from our friends at the Wisconsin Humane Society:
First know the facts: According to the CDC,
there is no evidence that people can get COVID-19 from pets.
The best place for your animal is in the home they know and love, with you. If you aren’t feeling well but are still able to are for care for your pet, keep them with you, where they’re most comfortable.
If you become too ill to care for your pet or you need to be hospitalized, is there anyone else in your home who could help? Maybe a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family member could take them in. Even a groomer, daycare, or boarding facility may be able to help in your time of need with advance notice. The most important thing you can do today is come up with two potential pet plans and talk directly with those people, so they’re prepared in case they’re called to action.
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Please Don't Touch the Kittens!
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Kitten season is upon us, and it’s important to know when to leave stray kittens alone, and when to intervene.
Kitten alert! If you hear little “mews” and see a huddle of tiny kittens all alone under a porch, in a barn, or in a garden, don’t assume they’ve been abandoned by their mother. In most cases, she’s out getting a bite to eat and will return home shortly to care for her nursing brood, or she’s in the process of moving her family to a new location.
As with any nursing infant, kittens do best when raised and fed by their mothers.
Every year, though, well-intentioned, animal lovers bring kittens to shelters assuming they’ve been orphaned, when in fact their mother was likely right nearby.
So, what should you do?
If you find a litter of kittens without their mother, watch from a distant location to see if mama returns, a process that could take hours. In fact, she might not return if you’re nearby, so leaving and coming back to check on them later may be best.
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Animal Control & Care Appreciation Week
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We’re so grateful for the kind, compassionate animal lovers on Kitsap Humane Society’s Animal Control team. From removing livestock from traffic to rescuing pets from abusive homes, the officers at KHS provide a safety net for animals.
“Our Animal Control officers are real-life heroes, saving hundreds of injured, neglected, and abused animals in Kitsap County each year,” said KHS Director of Animal Welfare, Sarah Moody-Cook. “They work tirelessly to keep the pets and people in our community safe and provide essential support systems for both pets
and
pet owners in our area.”
The team responds to thousands of calls a year from citizens and plays a critical role in providing legal documentation for criminal cases involving animals.
Long gone are the days when officers were stigmatized as cartoonish “dog catchers” for the local pound. Led by supervisor Chase Connolly and including officers (l-r) Jen Dunlap, Devin Mueller, and
Christy Thomson, today’s ACO team is comprised of animal-loving professionals who protect and serve animals and people.
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PetsWALK was originally scheduled for June 27 in downtown Poulsbo, but we have transitioned to a
Virtual 5K Walk/Run to ensure everyone can participate safely! Through the
entire month of June you will be able to participate in contests and a walk/run for shelter pets!
Registration
opens May 1!
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As you may have already heard through social media, we have postponed the Pup Crawl to an undetermined date later this year.
Keep an eye out for news on
Facebook,
Instagram and future editions of Shelter Tails for updates!
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Farewell to Tom Weed,
Director of Donor Relations
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After nearly six years of much-appreciated service with KHS, Tom is retiring from KHS to pursue his passions with his wife, Katie, and family and friends. Over the years, he raised millions of dollars for our operations and capital campaigns, created strong friendships and partnerships with KHS donors, and strengthened our development program.
When it comes to our mission, Tom has walked the walk. Which often translated to walking dogs and frequently taking them home overnight for a shelter break! Many in our organization will miss Tom’s enthusiasm, positive attitude and wry sense of humor, as well as his love for animals. He will remain a close friend, volunteer and supporter of KHS. Thank you, Tom!
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Adorable Adoptable
Meet Apollo!
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Meet Apollo! This sleek, smart fellow is a purebred Thai Ridgeback, a breed we’ve never had at the shelter before. He is a bit aloof at first, but once he’s certain you’re a good human, he’s friendly and wants to connect. He loves to run and to play with balls and toys, and afterward he’s happy to join you for couch potato time. You can learn more about Apollo and make an appointment to meet him at the shelter, Thursday-Sunday. He might be a perfect match for you!
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Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Brianna Brown!
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This month our volunteer spotlight is on Brianna Brown! Bri has been fostering with Kitsap Humane Society for a year and a half, and has already fostered 40 animals! Bri predominantly cares for kittens for KHS, but has also fostered adult dogs and cats in their times of need. KHS was especially thankful to Bri when she was fostering a mama and eight kittens, and mama cat was not making enough milk to support all 8 kittens. Bri stepped up and learned to bottle feed the kittens to supplement their growth, and now all eight kittens are healthy and adopted!
Both Bri and her husband work full time, yet still find time to be excellent foster parents. KHS works with foster parents to fit in appointments around their availability, and foster parents are never asked to take animals that require more time than they are able to commit to, or do not fit with their lifestyles. Bri proves that even busy foster parents are so valuable to saving lives, and her dedication and caring makes her an amazing addition to the KHS foster team. Thanks Bri!
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Staff Spotlight
Meet Edith Chapman!
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This month’s staff spotlight is shining on Admissions Technician Edith Chapman! Edith’s passion for working with animals was ignited when she completed an internship at a veterinary clinic while in high school. She then pursued a career working in the animal welfare field because she had seen how animal shelters help both animals and people, and she wanted to be directly involved in making a difference in the lives of those in need.
Edith joined KHS’ Animal Care team in February of 2016, helping provide essential daily care for animals in the shelter. She later held the position of Animal Care Lead, and in March 2019 was promoted to her current role of Admissions Tech.
As the Admissions Tech, Edith oversees the intake of all strays brought in by Good Samaritans, and coordinates the intake of pets whose owners are no longer able to care for them. One major part of her job is providing overwhelmed pet owners with information and education that will help
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them keep their pets in their homes, rather than turning the pet into the shelter.“
Edith is deeply committed to KHS, and is dedicated to upholding high standards and best practices not only in her own department, but throughout the entire shelter” says her supervisor, Bobby Cook.
When she’s not at work, Edith enjoys spending time with the senior special needs cat that she adopted from KHS, reading, and trying new local craft brews.
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Community Spotlight
Mattress Ranch
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We can’t thank the shelter heroes at Mattress Ranch enough for all they do for Kitsap Humane Society. For the last several years, Ted Sadtler and his amazing crew have helped us spread the word about our lifesaving mission through free commercials they run for us. Every year, they air at least three commercials to help our shelter pets. These ads help us inform the community of our lifesaving Foster program and invite participants to PetsWALK – one of our biggest annual fundraisers.But the largest benefit has been to our vehicle donation program. Because of Mattress Ranch’s generosity, they’ve helped increase our vehicle donations by 500 percent! Yes, 500 percent! Simply amazing! Thank you,
Mattress Ranch for all you continue to do for KHS.
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Ted and Susan Sadtler, with their dog Jimmy, adopted from KHS!
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Many Thanks to Our Grand Shelter Sponsor:
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Kitsap Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; Tax ID: 91-0728353
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