54 Guinea Pigs Thriving after Rescue
from Seabeck Hoarding Situation
Fifty-four guinea pigs – including pregnant females and lots of babies – were rescued Aug. 26 by Kitsap Humane Society Animal Control officers from filthy, crowded cages kept outdoors on a Seabeck property. All the animals are now safe and in the care of KHS and other rescue groups, and four have been adopted by their rescuers.

Thankfully, most of the guinea pigs are in good shape, considering their poor housing conditions. A few of them have ears that have been bitten – a result of overcrowding -- and some had paws with urine burns from living in dirty cages.

The animals were rescued in response to an anonymous tip by a concerned citizen. At KHS, the animals were welcomed with snuggles from our officers and examined by our veterinary staff. To provide intake for 54 animals all at once, KHS staff converted one of our new canine behavior training center rooms into a temporary guinea pig triage and housing hub.

Of the 54 animals, 12 were obviously pregnant, 10 were juvenile males and 32 were juvenile females who are being monitored for possible pregnancy.
The animals were separated into groups by age and sex into clean kennels with fresh bedding, food and water.

“Taking in animals in such a large-scale rescue always challenges and really stretches our staff, but this was handled excellently from start to finish,” said Sarah Moody Cook, KHS director of animal welfare. She thanked the community, including donors, foster families, volunteers, and rescue partners, for stepping up to help. Some of the agencies who assisted include the humane societies in Whatcom County, Seattle, Tacoma, Auburn Valley and Motley Zoo Animal Rescue.
Has a Pet from KHS Changed Your Life?
Tell Your Story by Sept. 23 & Help Us Win $100K!
Hey animal lovers! If you adopted YOUR pet from Kitsap Humane Society, and that furry family member has changed your life, submit your story and include photos and video! Don't delay: the deadline is Sept. 23! With your submission comes the chance for KHS to win $100,000 in grant funding, and for you to win great prizes, too!

In partnership with BOBS from Skechers, the Petco Foundation is granting more than $750,000 this holiday season to qualified animal welfare organizations across the country. Awards will range from $5,000 to $100,000, and adopters with winning submissions will receive up to a $1,000 Petco shopping spree and a prize pack with BOBS from Skechers shoes.

Stories should highlight how pets have changed their adopter’s life for the better, in big and small ways, and should celebrate the love of their adopted pet. Submissions must include four photos to illustrate the story and can include video as well.
Winners will be announced during the holiday season. For a full list of prizes and submission FAQs, visit petcofoundation.org/holidaywishes.
First-Ever Virtual Animal Krackers is FULL of Surprises! Don't Miss Out - Register Now!
When you join us for our first-ever virtual Animal Krackers event on Oct. 16 from 7-8 p.m., you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how we care for animals at the shelter, like Enzo and Ranger in the video below. These two special dogs were highlighted in Animal Krackers 2018, and we have even more great stories to share at this year's event!

Your participation in Animal Krackers, sponsored by Peninsula Subaru, supports lifesaving care for hurting and homeless pets in our community. So please join us!

Animal Krackers 2020 kicks off on Monday, Oct. 12 with a week-long silent auction, and culminates in a fun night of entertainment, story-telling and fundraising during the live auction event on Friday, Oct. 16. Register now! Our dedicated team has lots of surprises in store for you!
Did You Adopt a Dog During the Pandemic?
Yay! Make Sure You Give Them Time to Settle In
Adorable Adoptables
Meet Beau and Duchess!
These pups were brought to Kitsap Humane Society after a good citizen found them running stray in Belfair for three weeks. They are good pals and would be so happy to go home together!

Beau is a friendly, affectionate 7-year-old Hound/Border Collie mix and Duchess is a 4-year-old Border Collie/Hound mix. They both enjoy getting outside for playtime, walks and hikes and are snuggle bunnies, too. They're good on leash, know basic commands, treat-motivated, and would love to learn some new tricks. They also like other dogs. What's not to love about these two?

Learn more about them on the website and let's find these partners a home, together!
Volunteer Spotlight
Meet Liz Thayer!
Liz started fostering kittens at KHS a few months ago. Within those few months, Liz has already fostered almost 10 kittens of varying ages and care requirements! Liz has such a special and gentle way of tending to her foster kittens and is always willing to go the extra mile to ensure they are receiving the highest level of care. Something the foster department appreciates about Liz is her willingness to help in any way she can, not to mention her contagious, positive, can-do attitude! We are so excited to see Liz progress as a foster parent and continue her lifesaving work. 
 
Thank you for everything you do, Liz! 
Staff Spotlight
Meet Christy Thomson
Christy has been an Animal Control Officer (ACO) at Kitsap Humane Society since January 2017. As a deputized officer, Christy enforces animal welfare codes and laws in our area that help protect pets and people.
 
Christy not only investigates many different types of animal control issues, but is an advocate and supporter of the KHS mission to “Rescue, Rehabilitate and Rehome” pets in need.
 
“Christy has a HUGE heart and will do just about anything she can to help an animal in need," said her supervisor. "Our community is lucky to have Christy keeping both our animals and our citizens safe”. 
Outside from work, Christy enjoys spending time with her dogs, chickens, fish, and her cat -- several of them adopted from KHS! 
 
When asked what she loves most about working at KHS, Christy said: “I love animals, and working with animals, I can make a difference!"
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 Gold Paw sponsor of this year's virtual Animal Krackers!

Visual Options is a team of talented fabricators who use innovative creativity, cutting-edge technology, and quality craftsmanship to design and manufacture visual needs for businesses and individuals across the nation -- including our donation boxes!

They are committed to giving back to their community and making a difference in the lives of animals. To our friends at Visual Options, thank you for supporting KHS!
Many thanks to the Bissell Pet Foundation for the recent grant of $10,625 to support low-cost spay/neuter services in our Kitsap and Mason county communities

Spaying and neutering pets helps reduce unwanted litters, pet overpopulation and homelessness. Offering these services at reduced cost to families ensures that these important services are accessible to all in our community.

“Due to COVID-19, veterinary clinics across the country have put critical spay/neuter surgeries on hold for months, leaving thousands of shelter pets unaltered," said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation.

"Knowing this, the foundation is awarding more spay/neuter grant funding than ever to support shelters' needs and ensure the health and safety of pets," she said.

Meanwhile, KHS has reopened services, which are limited at this time as we ensure that our staff is able to comply with safety requirements due to COVID-19.
"We are so grateful to have our low-cost spay/neuter services up and running again," said Sarah Moody Cook, director of animal welfare at KHS. "Right now appointments are booked almost as soon as they open because of the backlog of animals needing services. But we are making great progress and ask for our community's patience during this difficult time."
Many Thanks to Our Grand Shelter Sponsor:
Kitsap Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; Tax ID: 91-0728353