Willamette Humane Society Strengthening the bond between pets and people

Make a Purrfect Match During Furry Speed Dating!

(1/26/12) - Want to make a love connection with a new pet companion this Valentine’s Day weekend? Then come to Willamette Humane Society (WHS) for a unique experience: Furry Speed Dating!

On Saturday, February 11, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., WHS will host a special speed-dating event for prospective adopters. Participants will meet a variety of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes (of the four-legged variety) during short, informal “interviews.” During each meeting, prospective adopters can interact with the pet, learn about his or her likes and dislikes and what type of home he or she is looking for. Cats and dogs from Willamette Humane will be featured, along with adoptable rabbits from a local rabbit rescue group.

“This is a great opportunity to meet a variety of pets with different characteristics and temperaments all in one afternoon,” says WHS Shelter Operations Director Jamie Fitzpatrick. “We hope to make some good matches and get some of our eligible “bachelors” and “bachelorettes” into loving new homes - just in time for Valentine’s Day.”  The event is free and no pre-registration is necessary. Drop-ins welcome.

Shelter Returns to Normal Business Hours

(1/23/12) - We are happy to report that our building did not sustain any damage due to flooding, and our shelter has returned to normal business hours. We are open Mon/Thurs/Fri, noon to 7 p.m. and Sat/Sun, noon to 6 p.m. We are closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

As a precaution, we moved all of the animals who were in the shelter into temporary foster homes the evening of Thursday, January 19. We welcomed back our evacuated animals on Saturday, January 21, once the threat of flooding passed.

We greatly appreciate the overwhelming show of support from all of the volunteers and supporters who immediately came forward to take in pet, place sandbags around the shelter, and took on various other tasks to ensure that our animals, staff and building were as safe as possible during the potential flooding. Look for another update and and photos in an upcoming e-newsletter. (To sign up for our free e-news, go here). If you’re interested in future foster care opportunities, see the Foster Care section of our website for details on how to become a foster parent.

Helping Paws Thrift Store Closing; Deep Discounts Offered on All Store Merchandise

(1/16/12) - After nearly five years in operation, Willamette Humane Society (WHS) is closing its Helping Paws thrift store located on NE Lancaster Drive. Thursday, February 29, will be the last day the store will be open for business. The shelter’s downtown thrift store on NE High Street will continue its operations.

Shoppers will find deep discounts – up to 60% off most items - at Helping Paws including furniture, jewelry, clothing, housewares, and the remaining inventory of new pet supplies. The store will continue to accept donations of gently used goods until February 15. 

Willamette Humane Society opened Helping Paws in March 2007 as a way to generate additional revenue to support its shelter operations. WHS Business Operations Director Sarah Head cites tough economic conditions and not enough donations to fill the 10,000 square foot space as key reasons for closing the NE Lancaster store. “We employed many strategies to try to increase both sales and donations, but that isn’t generating enough revenue to be profitable. We need to focus our efforts on ventures that will generate revenue to support our mission,” noted Head.   
   
WHS will continue to operate its downtown thrift store, which has been in operation for more than 40 years and consistently generated revenue for the organization.  As Helping Paws transitions to a close, staff plan to focus more of their energy and effort on the downtown location. “We greatly appreciate those who supported our Helping Paws store and encourage everyone to visit our downtown thrift store once Helping Paws closes,” Head added. For store hours and addresses, go here.

Pet New Year’s Resolutions

Even if you’re not into making New Year’s resolutions for yourself, make some that will improve your pet’s life or help another four-legged friend in need:

Spay/neuter your pets. Add more healthy years to your pet’s life, improve his behavior, and help reduce the number of homeless pets that enter shelters this year. If your pets are already spayed and neutered, then encourage everyone else you know to spay/neuter their pets, too. WHS offers low-cost spay/neuter services to anyone, regardless of income.

Schedule a yearly checkup vet appointment for your pet.  A healthy animal should see a veterinarian at least once a year (more if he/she is older or has a medical condition). Make sure your pet is up-to-date on all shots and vaccines.

Put ID on your pet. Last year, only 26% of lost dogs were reunited with their families and only 2% of lost cats were returned to their owners. Make sure your pet wears a collar and ID tag (with current information) at all times and if she doesn’t already have one, consider getting a microchip implanted the next time you visit your vet.

Create a safer, more hygienic environment for your pets. Resolve to clean the litter box or small animal cage more often. This can reduce the amount of mold and bacteria that builds up in dirty boxes and cages, making the air that both of you breathe a bit healthier.

Groom your pet. While many animals require a professional groomer, try doing minor things - such as nail trimming, baths and brushing - at home. Grooming your pet not only improves their physical appearance but it provides a chance to spend time together.

Make sure your pet gets plenty of exercise. Exercise stimulates an animal’s mind and body, making them better behaved and feeling good. Pet obesity is becoming an increasing concern, so ensure that your pet gets proper exercise each day to stay at his/her appropriate weight.

Train your pet. Training your pets can greatly improve their behavior, strengthen their bond with you, and provide mental exercise and stimulation. We offer many different training classes or consults that will fit your needs.

Be a voice & an advocate for other animals. Because you love your pet so much, share some of that love with other animals that are not as fortunate as yours. Volunteer!  Shelters like ours rely heavily on the help of dedicated volunteers to help us run our day-to-day operations. Use your unique skills to make life better for shelter pets and improve their chances of finding a new home.

Hooray for Spay! Clinic Completes 10,000th Spay/Neuter Surgery

(12/20/11) - On Tuesday, December 20, Willamette Humane Society (WHS) celebrated a key milestone: the completion of the 10,000th sterilization surgery in our low-cost, high-quality spay & neuter clinic! The landmark surgery was performed on a 7-month-old female cat named Quin. 

The 10,000th surgery is significant because it means preventing the birth of thousands of unwanted offspring – offspring that would likely end up as strays or brought to area shelters like ours. “Prevention is the key to reducing the number of homeless pets in our community,” says WHS Executive Director Joan Towers. “I’m very proud of our staff for reaching this key milestone and for working hard to ensure that our clinic meets or exceeds national best practices for spay/neuter clinics.”

Our high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter clinic opened in January 2010. As a nonprofit organization focused almost entirely on sterilization surgeries, we offer some of the lowest rates in the area on spay/neuter services. Our low base rates are available to anyone, regardless of income or geographic location. Thanks to a recent grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, we are currently offering further reduced rates for low-income cat owners. $10 neuter and $20 spay surgeries are available to cat owners who receive some form of public assistance. Anyone interested in learning more about low-cost spay/neuter services can call the Clinic at (503) 480-7729, or go here to learn more.

See the Latest Videos Featuring Adoptable Pets

(11/28/11) - Wanna see adoptable pets in action? Check out these videos featuring some of our favorites! See our dogs in action in this canine playgroup video  or see this week’s featured pets in our CCTV Adoptable Pets Show.

Grant Helps WHS Provide Subsidized Spay/Neuter Surgeries

(10/11/11) – The Margaret A. Cargill Foundation awarded Willamette Humane Society (WHS) a $38,361 grant - $20,000 of which will be used to provide 600 subsidized spay/neuter surgeries for cats owned by community members who receive federal or state income assistance. Thanks to the grant funding, eligible families can have a female cat spayed in Willamette Humane’s Spay & Neuter Clinic for only $20 or a male cat neutered for $10. The remainder of the grant money will be used to help fund a new heating and ventilation system for the shelter. 

WHS staff would like to complete the 600 subsidized surgeries by April 30, before the onslaught of “Kitten Season” which usually starts in mid May and continues through October. During Kitten Season, Willamette Humane can receive as many as 300 cats each week, including dozens of litters of kittens. Since opening its low-cost, high quality spay & neuter clinic in January 2010, WHS has altered more than 8,800 animals in an effort to fight pet overpopulation and reduce the number of homeless and stray pets that enter the shelter each year.

Families or individuals who receive some form of government assistance are eligible for the special subsidized surgery rate. Anyone interested should call the Willamette Humane Society Spay & Neuter Clinic at (503) 480-7729. Those who do not qualify for the special subsidized rate are eligible for Willamette Humane’s regular flat rates of $35 for a male cat neuter, $55 for a female cat spay, $70 for a male dog neuter and $85 for a female dog spay.