February 27th marks World Spay Day, an annual campaign highlighting the importance of spaying and neutering pets - but at Kitsap Humane Society, we're turning it into Spay Week!

The fact is that one unaltered female cat and her offspring could produce as many as 420,000 cats in only seven years - but prevention can be expensive. That's why KHS veterinarians will be offering low-cost spay/neuter services for owned pets (cats only) for five days this month: Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 26-27.

You can make an appointment through our Surgery Scheduler Feb. 14-16 on a first-come, first-served basis. Appointment spots are limited, so sign up early!

Even if you don't have a cat who needs care, you can still help us out. To alter as many cats as possible, we’re asking for your help to offset the cost of the procedure. If you’d like to help us reach this goal, you can do so with a donation below.

There's Still Time for a Valentine!

Time is running out!

Send the people you love a Valentine in support of the animals you adore!

Click the button below and Kitsap Humane Society will send a Valentine on your behalf to your favorite pet-lovers! Each Valentine comes with a card and a goodie box for pets and their people. There are eight designs to choose from - each cuter than the one before. You can also send a painting created by a KHS shelter animal, or vaccinate or microchip a KHS resident in the name of love.

There's only one more day! Get your order in by 5 p.m. February 8 to ensure a Feb. 14 delivery. Or sponsor a vaccination or microchip service right up until Valentine's Day!

Walk a Dog. Pet a Cat. Lend a Paw!

As a nonprofit organization, KHS relies heavily on volunteers to help us care for the thousands of animals who come through our doors. From walking dogs and socializing cats, to assisting with vet care and events, to washing bowls and doing laundry, there's an endless array of jobs to be filled by volunteers. And as we prepare to expand our services, your help is needed more than ever. But don't just do it for us; do it for yourself - there are plenty of reasons to become a volunteer:

• A great way to serve your community
• Help adorable animals
• Learn from animal care professionals
• Share your experience with others
• Add a fantastic line to your resume
• Accumulate service hours for scholarships
• Improve your physical and mental health
• Learn new skills and gain experience
• Make new friends!

To learn more about volunteering with Kitsap Humane Society and how you can help us help animals, click the button below.

It's a Holly Jolly Time with Santa Paws

Each year, Santa takes a break from his busy schedule to sleigh his way to Kitsap County and take photos with a few of his four-legged friends. This year, there were four stops on his schedule: Olmsted Tree Farms in Poulsbo; Bay Hay and Feed on Bainbridge Island; West Hills Kia in Bremerton; and the Big Animal Barn on the KHS campus.

In all, our volunteer St. Nick (and his alter-ego Jeff) took pictures with 217 pets and their families and raised $8,425 to fill Kitsap Humane Society's stockings!

A huge thank you and to all of our volunteers who made it happen, including Santa and our photographer Mary from Four Foot Photography, as well as our corporate sponsor, Eagle Pipe Heating and Air! Ho! Ho! Ho!

Astound Broadband - Our Puppuccino Pal

Pigeon - the handsome guy at right - would like to thank February's Puppuccino Pals sponsor - Astound Broadband!

Astound Broadband has been a part of our community for years, providing award-winning Internet service and 24/7 local customer support. They're evolving to better serve their Kitsap clients (including a few KHS staff and volunteers), so they can connect to a world of astounding possibilities. They're proud to be a Puppuccino Pals sponsor and to bring joy to the animals that need it most in our community - like Pigeon.

If you'd like to be a Puppuccino (or Purr-uccino) Pals sponsor, please email kfleischmann@kitsap-humane.org.

Avast, Ye Mateys! Thank You!

Much of our good work is with the support and cooperation of local businesses and organizations who love pets just as much as we do. From school groups that gather supplies to businesses that hold fundraisers, we couldn't do it without their help. Here're just a few of the wonderful folks who extended a helping hand last month:

A Pirate's Life for Us - This local group of scurvy dogs and pirate enthusiasts (above) collected $425 for KHS through their fundraising efforts in Port Orchard. As a thank you, we treated them to a tour of the campus and escaped without having to walk the plank!

Tractor Supply of Silverdale - Our favorite purveyor of pitchforks and more hosted two adoption events in January, and are helping us equip our new Big Animal Barn. Special thanks to Manager Alex Knecht, past-Manager Jerry Coble, and Interim Assistant Manager Chris Malicki!

Mud Bay of Silverdale and Gig Harbor - By putting up pet-themed giving trees, the two stores we able to raise $507.05 for KHS over the holidays. Plus, they're regular donors of items from our Wish List. Thank you!

And a big thanks to all the businesses around Kitsap County who have set out a Donation Dog House for us. If you'd like to collect for KHS, please email kfleischmann@kitsap-humane.org.

Adorable Adoptables!

Cuddly Coral!

This sweet senior gal is 7-year-old Coral - a super sweet cat who's looking for a tranquil haven to call home. She's a bit shy with a heart yearning for connection and quiet companionship. Coral loves to curl up for a good nap, but doesn't mind being woken up for some ear scritches. She needs a relaxing home where all the family members are 12 or older and she can bring a touch of calmness and sweetness to your life.

Sweet, Sweet Shelby!

A staff favorite (who are we kidding?... they're all favorites), Shelby is a super sweet and energetic male Dachshund mix ready to bring some tail-wagging joy into your life! Fetch is his absolute favorite game, and he's a pro at chasing after balls and toys and bringing them back for more fun. If you've got a strong arm and a love for a good game of fetch, you're going to get along just paw-some! He's got energy for days, so an active family would be the dream! Whether it's a long hike or just some good old-fashioned play in the yard, he's ready for adventures and lots of quality time with his humans. He's not the biggest fan of other pup companions, so a home without other dogs would be ideal for him! If you're searching for a sweet, energetic, and loving companion, he's your guy!

January Adoptions

Another month, a lot more homes for some happy critters! In January, with the help of our adoptions, foster, animal care, behavior, and veterinary teams, as well as those who advocate and care for them, 229 pets found loving homes including 97 cats, 47 dogs, 42 kittens, 31 puppies, 5 guinea pigs, 4 fowl, 1 rabbit, 1 goat, and 1 very cool pig.



Thank you to everyone who helped this happen, from the staff who care for them, to those who donate to their care, to the wonderful people who made them part of their family.

If you've recently adopted a new family member from KHS, we'd love to hear more! Submit your KHS alum's Happy Tail for a chance to have them featured across our social media platforms!

Staff Spotlight

Layren McDannold

One of the things that makes us most proud here at KHS is seeing our resident animals move on to a wonderful life. We miss them, sure, but we’re happy for them. Sometimes that applies to the people as well.

Layren McDannold is an animal care technician who recently adopted out her 500^th pet; it’s a profession that she was literally born into. “My mom has been in animal welfare since she was a teenager,” says Layren. “Growing up with a dog rescue being run out of our home and witnessing my mom’s passion was inspiring.”

The two of them moved to Washington from Kentucky during the pandemic, looking for a change of scenery, and found “wonderful” jobs at KHS. “The best part is working with pets and seeing the difference I can make,” says Layren. When I first started at KHS, I spent most of my time working with the pets who needed it the most. Animals are incredibly resilient, and it always amazed me how much they can grow in such short periods of time.” As is the case with many staff members, one animal stands out.

“During the summer of 2021, a dog named Daisy came into the shelter completely shut down and struggling with skin issues. She refused walks, wouldn’t make eye contact, and would curl up in the corner of her kennel all day. I spent hours just sitting by her kennel door, tossing treats,” Layren remembers. Around the three-week mark, we had a breakthrough. She ate a treat out of my hand a rested her head on me. From that point on, she continued to make progress and we became best friends. I had to move back to college before she got adopted, but I got plenty of updates from afar. Every time I work with a shut-down dog, I think of her.”

As much as she loves working with animals, however, her future lies elsewhere. She studied Political Science and International Studies, is currently applying to PhD programs, and recently found out that she’s a semi-finalist for a Fulbright scholarship. Her goal is to aid in the proposal of policy, facilitation of community advocacy, and growth of sustainability efforts that will support economic opportunity and environmental protection, especially in rural, impoverished areas.

And while we’ll be sad to see her leave, we’ll be happy for the people she’ll help, just like she’s helped so many pets. “No matter where I am,” she says, “I know the lessons and principles I’ve learned through animal welfare will help guide me.”