4 minute read
Whitman County Humane Society
—Save the Date— Home-ward Bound A Virtual Fur Ball
“… And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for…”
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Honey, grab the catnip and dog treats! The Parade of Pets is starting!
You’re invited! The 14th Annual “faux” Fur Ball will be held virtually at the end of February, 2021. We will bring some fun into these home-bound times, and raise a bit to help community critters on their Homeward Bound journey.
Events include a behind-the-scenes shelter tour, videos by experts (think wine! think pets!), demonstrations (think making dog treats!), and silent auction bidding. All will be on offer the week proceeding the main event. Fur Ball will conclude with a grand finale and the Parade of Pets on 2/27.
Please plan to drop in and join us! Event details to be posted 2/1/21 at whitmanpets.org/furball. Star Pet
Meet Mr. Tubbs and His Sidekick Dumpling!
The handsome cat in front is Mr. Tubbs. His furever friend in back is Dumpling. This pair was brought to WCHS because their owner passed away. Mr. Tubbs is a 10-yearold senior guy, but just barely! With a dedicated owner to help him lose weight, he could have several good years ahead of him since he is in good health. He is a shy guy, but very sweet. Dumpling is 6-years old. She is FIV+, so she should be indoor only so that she doesn't spread this to others (via deep bite wounds). She is very friendly with Mr. Tubbs. Since they are already bonded and compatible and rely on each other for comfort, they are a bonded pair and must be adopted together! FIV compromises her immune system, so she needs to be kept indoors and vaccinated regularly.
Their adoption fees were generously sponsored by a kind donor. We encourage you to donate to our end of the year Giving Tuesday fundraiser or to sponsor another adoption in lieu of the adoption fee. They are spayed/neutered, microchipped, dewormed, vaccinated, FIV/FeLV/ Heartworm tested, and have been seen by a vet. To state the obvious—2020 has been a hard year! The shelter has been challenged on multiple fronts. COVID-19 forced the staff to implement restrictions on public visitations while at the same time the number of animals was higher than ever. COVID-19 also brought grief to the staff when one of the people who had fostered for several years died from COVID complications. Managing to soldier on through this has not been easy. But occasionally, light has shined Shelby Vasquez Assistant Director of Shelter Operations through these dark days. One such light is Shelby Vasquez. She is passionate about placing animals into their furever home and sees working with animals as a life-long career. Shelby has worked for WCHS since 2018 and volunteered for several years while earning her BS in Wildlife Ecology from WSU. Shelby was promoted to the Assistant Director of Shelter Operations after being an adoption counselor and overseeing donor communications.
Shelby’s knowledge is matched by her heart. A few days ago, a dog named Indigo finally went home after being at the shelter for far too long. Shelby had tears in her eyes as she said goodbye to this good dog!
Shelby is grateful to the volunteers who are the backbone of the shelter. With such a small paid staff, the help of volunteers who are willing to do the dirty work as well as the fun jobs like socializing with the animals is critical. She is also grateful for the fosters who take in animals until they are ready for adoption.
If you are interested in being a volunteer, please reach out to the shelter staff at shelter@ whitmanpets.org. They would be delighted to welcome you into the WCHS volunteer pack. Who knows, you might be the recipient of a big, wet puppy kiss!
Building Supply—THANK YOU!
There are words for people like George Farwell, Brian Oliver, and Tyler Garrett: ASTONISHING. AMAZING. INSPIRING – not to mention – TALENTED. SKILLFUL. GENEROUS. These three men put their expertise to work so that the shelter would have a new building. YAY! When George Farwell of Prodigy Construction heard that the shelter needed a new storage building, he said, “Let me help you make that happen.” He worked George Farwell, Prodigy Construction, getting ready to hang the door. with Brian Oliver from Pullman Building Supply (PBS) to assemble the materials. Tyler Garrett, CEO & President of PBS, approved providing project materials at cost, and they donated paint and a window for natural light as well!
George assembled his team who built the storage shed in record-breaking time. It is beautiful. Solid. Functional. It will mean that food can be stored in a dry and secure building.
WCHS is humbled that these good people gave their time, talent, and profit margin because they care so deeply about homeless animals. It is a breathtaking example of the generous spirit that lives in our community.
A thousand puppy kisses and kitten purrs to Prodigy Construction and Pullman Building Supply for making our dream of a new shed come true! THANK YOU!
