Thank You, Chief Connolly

Chief Chase Connolly never likes attention or needs kudos. He’s a guy who likes to stand in the background, gathering information, assessing the situation, and taking action. He’s also been an integral part of Kitsap Humane Society for more than 14 years, directing Animal Control and helping the organization build itself into what it is now – a vital safety net for pets and their people in Kitsap County.

But sadly for us and the people he’s served, he’s now moving on.

Monday, January 27^th was Chase’s last day on the job, one in which he led a stellar team in providing Animal Control services from Gig Harbor to Bainbridge Island and everywhere in between. But he did so much more than that.

He discovered his love for working with animals as a young KHS volunteer. Every weekend, Chase and his mother would visit the shelter and walk dogs, sit with cats, and do whatever they could to be of service. That sense of service to the well-being of animals continued throughout his life and finally brought him to KHS as a staff member in 2010. Beginning in Animal Care, he transferred to the Animal Control division in May of that year and worked his way through the ranks until being named Director of Animal Control in September of 2021.

During his tenure at KHS, he and his team rescued more animals from dire situations than any of them care to count – so we did it for them. 43,020 Animal Control cases handled by his department. 3,970 cases personally investigated. And 8,575 animals rescued or impounded – including an unbelievable number of cats and dogs and kittens and puppies, 564 chickens, 356 rabbits, 108 goats, 105 domestic birds, 36 fish, 27 horses, seven sheep, one frog, and an emu named Elliot. He encountered unsettling sights and put his own safety on the line for the good of the animals he protected – and all the while, without fail, kept his composure and maintained his professionalism. 

“Chase is the very picture of leading by example,” said KHS Co-Executive Director Jamie Nocula. “He’s universally admired by staff, volunteers, community leaders, and everyone who’s had the honor of working shoulder-to-shoulder with him. His compassion for people and animals and his commitment to our mission has become part of the very fabric of KHS. While we will miss him terribly, we’re excited to see what he does with the next chapter of his career.”

And while he will no longer be on the payroll, he will always be part of the KHS team, as he intends to volunteer with us in the future.

"I love this place and I love the mission,” he said during a last-day party thrown by the staff. “This isn’t ‘goodbye,’ but more of a ‘see you later.’”

On behalf of all the animals he’s saved and the people he’s inspired, we at Kitsap Humane Society would like to express our eternal gratitude for everything he’s done to make our organization what it is today.

From the bottom of our hearts: thank you, Chief Connolly.

Last Day to Ship Your Valentine is February 6th!

How will you be treating the love of your life this Valentine's Day? Consider showering your loved ones (or the animal lovers in your life!) with a Valentine treat supporting Kitsap Humane Society animals!

My Furry Valentine is BACK! Presented by Dee Fitzgerald Insurance Agency, supporters can send a Valentine to a loved one, along with a goodie box of treats for their furry friend and a special message from KHS. The event runs through February 14th, with the last day to purchase for shipping being February 6th.

What are you waiting for? Get in on this year's fun!

Last year alone, Kitsap Humane Society spayed or neutered more than 4,500 animals, a 30 percent increase from the year before. It's the most effective way to reduce the number of homeless pets and provides dogs and cats with significant health and behavioral benefits. Simply put, it saves lives.

Part of the way we fund such efforts is through the sale of "Spay~Neuter~Adopt" license plates, available for purchase at all Washington State vehicle licensing offices. $28 from each plate sold goes to the Washington Federation of Animal Care and Control Agencies, which in turn helps fund our spay and neuter efforts. All told, since 2007, the plates have earned more than $615,000 for spay/neuter efforts throughout Washington, resulting in nearly 20,500 surgeries for pets and feral or free-roaming cats.

Get your plate today and save some lives while you drive! Click below for more information.

Spread a Little Love to Our Adoptables!

As sweet as, well, it's in the name...

Meet Sweetums, a 7-year-old terrier mix who is ready to steal your heart with her adorable demeanor. A big fan of fetch, and slowly gaining a collection of toys, Sweetums loves to play and is dog social! She gets very excited to meet new potential playmates, but would be just as happy to be the only pet in the home. Sweetums is a lover and wouldn't mind soaking up all your attention. Above all else, she needs a family where she feels secure, understands routine, and knows you'll always be there for her. I mean, how can you NOT fall in love with those big, brown eyes? Sweetums is looking forward to meeting you!

Cutie, Patootie, TRUDY!

Our sweet friend Trudy is still looking for her home! Social media followers may remember her feature recently, but Trudy has been at KHS since December, which is much too long for this active girly! Trudy is a crowd favorite with Barks and Rec attendees and volunteers and is very eager for car rides, walks, and adventure. At 4 years old, Trudy is still finding her confidence and struggles to make pup friends. She would do best as the only pet in your home to soak up all the attention - she's all for it. A cuddly terrier to boot, Trudy would make the pawfect couch companion for these chilly winter days.

January Adoptions

We started 2025 with a bang, helping wonderful pets like Zara (right) find homes to support their New Year's resolutions. In January, the KHS team found homes for 212 pets including 68 cats, 53 dogs, 55 kittens, 22 puppies, 2 rabbits, 6 fowl, a goat and a bird!

Thank you to each and every person who helped animals find homes, from the staff who care for them, to those who donate to their care, and finally to our adopters who choose to open their hearts and homes.

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

Are You Our Next #PuppuccinoPals Sponsor?

In April 2016, Kitsap Humane Society was looking for ways to promote adoptable animals when a former team member and a current volunteer came up with the idea of #PuppuccinoPals.

#PuppuccinoPals is a weekly social media campaign created as a way to freshen adoption postings and highlight local businesses. Sponsorships allow great pups like Murphy to go on additional outings and chances to get a break away from the shelter. As a #PuppuccinoPals sponsor, your business will be featured in a variety of locations, including weekly social media campaigns, monthly shelter newsletters, across our website, and in conjunction with other marketing opportunities.

Ready to get started? Visit our website to learn more!

Who's a GoodPup?

For the last several months, KHS has been part of the GoodPup shelter program, which offers adopters and members of our community a free week of virtual dog training resources along with a discount for continued services. GoodPup, which is owned by Rover, has invited KHS to be a part of a pilot program to increase access to training resources through Rover services. This new program focuses on providing support through in-person dog training sessions offered by local certified dog trainers booked through Rover. We are one of six geographical areas piloting this new program, where Rover is offering $40 off an in-person training session OR the opportunity to use the virtual program GoodPup to assess what tools and services are going to be most impactful for our community.

New families and pups will receive information on this partnership at the time of adoption. We are looking forward to sharing more about the affects of this partnership in the coming months! That's a GoodPup!