Summer 2014 by Michael Anderson

The Whatcom Humane Society’s Newsletter

Summer 2014

Message From The Executive Director Dear Friends,

Saturdays at our organization are usually busy days and the arrival of warm weather makes them even busier. A typical Saturday for me starts with a trip to our farm facility to check in on the horses in our care. Our farm property has been at capacity for many months and as I walk through the barn I marvel at the variety and beauty of the horses we have. I love giving each one a treat and rub on the head. I always stop and spend extra time with Peanut, a Hackney Pony cross that has been in our care for over two years. I tell Peanut, “A wonderful new home is out there for you Peanut, I promise!”

Laura Clark Executive Director

Statement of Principle:

The Whatcom Humane Society believes that all animals, as sentient beings, have value beyond economic measurements and are entitled to legal, moral, and ethical consideration and protection.

Vision:

Our community treats all animals with kindness, respect, and compassion.

Mission Statement: The Whatcom Humane Society: • Advocates for animals; • Educates the community to promote humane treatment and respect for animals;

I leave the WHS farm and drive into Bellingham to our fantastic shelter facility. I spend a few hours catching up on various projects, meeting new arrivals (Kitten Season has arrived!) and chatting with volunteers, many of whom have been volunteering at WHS every Saturday for years. I love seeing our lobby full of potential adopters looking to give companion animals new permanent, responsible and loving homes. I leave the shelter and head east on Mount Baker Hwy toward our wildlife rehabilitation center. To describe the center as “busy” would be an understatement. The tiny facility and property is currently caring for over 100 orphaned and injured native wild animals including fawns, small mammals and many kinds of birds, including a bald eagle that was found shot in the wing and will require weeks of rehabilitation and specialized care until she can be released back into the wild. Each Saturday, as I criss-cross Whatcom County, I think about the same thing. The work and services the Whatcom Humane Society provides to the animals and people in our community is unique, inspiring and quite honestly, pretty darn incredible. We are the true definition of an open-admission animal shelter – turning no animal in need away regardless of the animal’s species, breed, age, temperament, health, medical or physical condition. Our animal population on any given day is diverse and as such, requires our dedicated staff to be able to humanely handle any type of animal and animal situation one can imagine. As summer moves into fall, our life-saving work continues. We are in the process of upgrading the facilities at our farm property, including the installation of a desperately needed new septic system and upgrading the fencing and security inside and outside the barn. Initial plans are in the works to design and build a small wildlife rehabilitation center on the property behind our shelter facility. I look forward to keeping you all posted on these plans and our ongoing commitment to care for homeless, unwanted and abused animals in need. Your support makes our work possible. Thank you! I hope to see you at an upcoming event this summer or at our shelter facility. With Sincere Appreciation,

• Provides for abandoned, injured, abused or neglected animals.

Laura Clark, Executive Director

WHATCOM HUMANE SOCIETY CARING FOR ANIMALS SINCE 1902

Board of Directors Janet Hofmann, President Jennifer Sonker, Vice President Pam Went, Secretary Drew Wilkens, Treasurer Ria Bordian Victoria Savage Neal Swanson Kevin Williamson Deb Wright

Wish List u Postage stamps — both first class and post card u New cat toys and catnip

Staff

u Donated “air miles” to send staff to training conferences (please check with the airline for their policy regarding donated miles)

Executive Director

Laura Clark

Administration

Kate Meuth Alldredge LeAnna DeRoss

u Blankets & towels (no electric blankets please) & Bathmats

Animal Care

Adriana Willmersdorf, Manager Sarah Hansen, Supervisor Amy Campbell, Lead Raena Anderson Kyle Berger Nadia Clayton Tina Deming Jesse Johnson, Farm Caregiver Alicia Langdon, Foster Care Coordinator Leigha Maland Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

Alysha Elsby, Manager Evan Griffith Meighan Hawks

Animal Control & Rescue/Field Services

Paul Evans, Manager Rebecca Crowley, Lead Officer Michael Anderson, Dispatch Carrie Anderson Vicky Gibbons Marcus Goodrich Meganne Shannon-Johnson Finance/Accounting

Dana Berger

Special Events

Dana Browne, Manager Community Outreach/Humane Education

Cari Sachkowsky

u Paper towels & cotton balls u Dog walking harnesses – Gentle Leader easy walk harnesses, sensi-harnesses for dog walking and training – all sizes, but especially L & XL u Sturdy dog leashes and flat buckle collars u Hay, straw and grain for horses and other livestock u W hite and colored copy paper for our copy machine u N ew dog toys and treats u Art supplies for humane education programs (new or quality used) u Quality new or used tractor u Large stall mats, halters and lead ropes for the horses and livestock at our farm facility

Volunteer Services

u Unopened bags and cans of dog & cat food (any brand!)

Customer Service

u H amster, rabbit, guinea pig and domestic rat food and treats

Carly Brewer

Danielle Yencopal-Smith, Lead Peter Anderson Zakia Kaminski Veterinary Services

u Quality new or used laptop or desktop computers

Karen Rounds, DVM Amy Armstrong, Vet Tech

u New or used dog houses for animal control & rescue

Progra ms & Services

u G ift Cards to any of the following businesses: PetStop in Sehome Village, Costco, Home Depot, Lowes, Whatcom Farmers Co-op, Joanne Fabric, Michaels, Fred Meyer or Haggen Food & Pharmacy

• Adoptions & Animal Care • Lost & Found • 24-Hour Animal Control & Rescue • Investigations of Cruelty & Neglect • Licensing • Community Outreach & Special Events • Humane Education • Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program (SNAP) • Pet Food Bank • Veterinary Services • Volunteer Services • Wildlife Rehabilitation Services

u Cat scratchers and clumping cat litter (Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract brand especially appreciated) u Baby Food, Frozen Berries, Cracked Corn, Bird Seed and Nuts for our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Location OUR NEW LOCATION! 2172 Division Street Bellingham, WA 98226 HOURS OF OPERATION! Wednesday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday - Monday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Closed to the Public Tuesday and Major Holidays

Phone: (360) 733-2080 Fax: (360) 733-4746 www.whatcomhumane.org

For more information, please contact Cari Sachkowsky at (360)733-2080 or email outreach@whatcomhumane.org. Check out our Amazon.com wishlist! Visit Amazon.com, “gifts & wishlists,” (and register on Amazon Smile – a % of your purchase will be donated to WHS!) then type in Whatcom Humane.

The Whatcom Humane Society’s Dog Days of Summer Run/Walk & Festival is just around the corner! Northwest Washington’s Biggest & Best Run/Walk & Festival for dogs and their human friends. Proceeds benefit the Whatcom Humane Society. Activities Include: •10K Run (humans only please)

10K & 2.6 mile Fun Run/Walk & Festival

•Fun Run & Walk for dogs and the people who love them

Sunday, August 24th

• Vegetarian Food Court

Lake Padden Park, Bellingham

•Doggie Games & Canine Contests •Entertainment including an animal caricaturist • Pet Themed Booths & Vendors

For a detailed schedule of events and to register online visit www.whatcomhumane.org

MONTHLY PET LOSS SUPPORT GROUP OFFERED Whatcom Humane Society’s monthly Pet Loss Support Group offers support and resources to help with the loss of a pet. The Pet Loss Support Group meets every Third Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Whatcom Humane Society. There is no charge for this group, no reservation needed, and you are free to attend as often as necessary throughout your grief process. The Pet Loss Support Group provides a safe, supportive place, where pet owners can share stories about their pet and work through their grief with others who have suffered a similar loss. Volunteers provide supportive help for those who have been touched by the loss of a pet, anticipating the death of a pet, dealing with the difficult decision of euthanasia, have suffered from a lost or stolen pet, or wondering when/if it is time to get another pet. For more information, please contact: outreach@whatcomhumane.org

“THE PLIGHT OF THE HOMELESS HORSE” By LeAnna DeRoss, WHS administrative staff & resident horse specialist

I love going out to the Whatcom Humane Society (WHS) farm in the mornings. I love the smell of the horses, watching the steam puffing out of their big nostrils and the relaxing munch, munch, munch of them eating breakfast before they get turned out into the pasture. They all look expectantly at me as I walk through the barn, softly nickering with dreams of carrots and apples on their minds. They are so beautiful with their big kind eyes. As much as I love being greeted by each and every horse, my heart clenches knowing that they are all waiting to be adopted and I can’t help but wonder what their future holds. I remember my first experience with a horse intake at the WHS farm. I walked through the barn and just outside, I could see three WHS animal control officers surrounding a horse. As they moved around the horse, inspecting it and commenting to each other, I caught glimpses of a reddish brown horse and ribs. I couldn’t tell if it was the sunlight exaggerating the shadows because I couldn’t imagine a horse being so emaciated and being alive. I walked up to the horse and he was missing patches of hair all over his body. As I walked around him, I could see it wasn’t the lighting. I ran my hands along his ribs and I could see and feel every rib down his body and see every vertebrae. His hooves were misshapen. His tail was thin and matted like dreadlocks. I looked at his face and it looked sunken. He could barely walk to his stall, dragging his hooves along the cement. I just couldn’t imagine that he was still alive. I expected that he would collapse and die. How could something like this happen? I couldn’t come up with a scenario in my head as to how this could happen. Even now, it is hard to comprehend, yet these types of scenarios are dealt with at WHS on a steady basis.

went out to the property with the animal control officers, and, with the help of some very horse-savvy volunteers and the use of the panels they use to guide horses, the young stallion, later named Thunder, was onboard the WHS horse trailer and enroute to our farm. The herd had three stallions and five mares. Three of the mares had young foals with them and they were all thin and full of lice. The foals were weak and one of the mothers was not able to produce milk. An equine veterinarian from Kulshan Veterinary Hospital arrived and evaluated all of the horses and gave us a feeding plan for the herd. The horses were vaccinated, wormed, and deloused. The Ferrier was called. She did her best to trim the hooves on all the horses, but some of the horses had never been handled and would not allow their feet to be picked up. The veterinarians from Kulshan Vet made multiple visits to check up on their progress. It didn’t take long for the WHS to gain legal custody of the horses. Once they were ours, we had to get ready for the hard part…finding a good home for each of the horses brought in from this case and the many other horses that we already had waiting for homes. Some of the horses had been with WHS for a year or more! The media was called and news crews came out to our barn to spread the word about our need for adopters and horse rescues. Horses chewed microphones and mussed reporters’ hair. We received a lot of responses from people. Some just wanted to come and see them, some wanted to help by volunteering, and some wanted to adopt.

Last October, I received a text telling me that WHS animal control officers were seizing eleven horses via a warrant for no food, water, or shelter. Eleven horses were on their way to our farm. We already had ten horses. Our barn only has nine stalls, so how would we find room for twenty-one horses? For a minute, my mind felt numb. My brain wrinkles were flat lining. We didn’t have room for twenty-one horses and I dreaded the possibility that some of the horses may need to be euthanized to make space for these eleven new horses. Thankfully, we were able to move several horses to a boarding facility right away.

4 4

When I arrived at the farm, only ten horses had been transported. One young stallion was left needing transport to the farm and he was not halter broken, which means he would be difficult to catch and transport. I

LeAnna DeRoss with Peanut, a horse at the WHS farm facility

We also contacted several rescues asking for help. Strawberry Mountain Mustangs out of Oregon was full but made room for this special case and was able to take a large black stallion. Second Chance Ranch was able to take the older Thoroughbred we had. All of the other rescues we contacted were, themselves, overwhelmed with horses. Out of the twenty-one horses we had in October, 2013, we have eight horses left. Five of them are from the case I described. We have not had to euthanize any of the horses, thanks in part to the media being contacted and generous people from all over Washington & Oregon wanting to help. The quality homes that we were able to send these horses to are phenomenal. I cannot say enough good things about the people who stepped up and adopted these beautiful animals. We had several new volunteers come into the mix with fresh eyes and great ideas. Something that people, especially those in the equine community, don’t realize is that the Whatcom Humane Society is not a horse-specific rescue facility. We are an open-admission animal shelter that thankfully has a barn and facility (not a common thing for most animal shelters/humane societies) that can safely take in and care for horses. Our farm facility doesn’t care for just horses. We have had alpacas, llama, cows, sheep,

pigs, goats, turkeys, chickens, and even a peacock come through the doors this past year needing care. Our Animal Control Department does rescue horses from bad situations, but we are not specifically a horse rescue that can keep horses indefinitely. If twenty-five horses need to come in, we need to make room. Caring for horses is extremely costly and our resources are limited. Monies from our animal control contracts only pay for the first 72 hours of a horse’s (or any animal in our shelters) basic care. WHS donor dollars pay for the rehab of these horses, multiple vet visits and treatments, supplements, Ferrier fees, food, bedding and board. With multiple horses, all needing extensive care, our resources are stretched to the limit. Remember that old proverb “it takes a village to raise a horse.” In the end, it comes down to this: The horses that come to the Whatcom Humane Society need the support of the horse community in Whatcom County. We are always looking for constructive horsesavvy people to help provide us with support and guidance. Working together, we can help the homeless, unwanted and abused horses in our community. If you are interested in learning more about the horses in our care, email: farm@whatcomhumane.org.

12:00 noon Check-In ~ 1:00pm Shotgun Start

• Two Person Scramble • 18 holes of golf with cart • Warm-Up range balls and use of driving cart • Great raffle prizes

• Divisions: Mens, Womens, Mixed and Senior • Opportunities to win include gross score and net score with each division and on-course competitions

Pre-Registration: $230 per twosome / $115 individual Download a Putts Fore Pets Golf Tournament Registration form at www.whatcomhumane.org. For more information, contact: Kevin Stray, 360-296-0441 or email: kevinstray@comcast.net.

VOLUNTEER HEROES ~ JUST A FEW OF THE DEDICATED

WHS VOLUNTEERS… IN THEIR OWN WORDS. Volunteer at WHS for five years

Describe your volunteer duties: I organize and do the filing for the Animal Control Office. Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: I started volunteering because I love animals and had much respect for the Whatcom Humane Society. I originally hoped to do dog walking or TLC for cats, but my bad knees do not allow me to walk or stand for too long. I do, however, love volunteering in the Animal Control Office because the officers there are so caring and compassionate and are doing such wonderful work to help animals. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: The abuse cases can be difficult to learn about.

M a ri a n D ’On of rio

Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: I have loved seeing the Animal Control officers participating in the best kisser contest at the Dog Days of Summer event. So much for the dignity of a uniform!

Volunteers at WHS since Spring 2014 Describe your volunteer duties: Chuck: I handle light maintenance and landscaping duties at the WHS wildlife rehabilitation center. Jennifer: I volunteer at the WHS wildlife rehabilitation center. Duties are varied - not always sweet smelling and can be very messy. But all aspects are very rewarding, even preparing laundry for the washer, cleaning dishes and syringes, sweeping floors, etc. Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: Chuck: Being freshly retired, I needed something to do, and what better than to give of my time in supporting all the other volunteers that do the hands-on animal care. Jennifer: My favorite part is when I have the opportunity to feed the baby birds. They want their food and those little beaks are ever open and receptive. There is very little time for anything else on those days; by the time they are weighed and fed it is time to start over again. I love feeding, cleaning and caring for the baby birds. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: Chuck: Not getting my jobs completed. Jennifer: Finding a baby bird that has not made it through the night. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: Chuck: I am just amazed at how dedicated and hard working everyone is. They are truly lovers of animals, great and small. Jennifer: It is very rewarding to see the once helpless baby birds and animals being moved to the outside cages and knowing that I played a very tiny part in their rehabilitation into the wild. All the staff, interns and volunteers do an amazing job and my Saturday morning colleagues are never too busy to answer my questions or point me in the right direction.

C h u ck & Je n n ife r H a rdin

Volunteers at WHS since 2011 Describe your volunteer duties: Cash and I participate in the Dog Day Afternoons Library Reading Program. Children read to Cash and practice their reading skills while Cash listens patiently and waits for treats! Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: I had been wanting to find a place to volunteer some of my time, and what a way to volunteer than do something with my best friend. I have two favorite things about volunteering for this program. One, it is great to see the kids progress in the three short weeks that we do the program, and I have been lucky to have a few returning kids that request Cash each time. One of them started reading Dr. Seuss books to Cash a couple of years ago, and now she is reading novels. It’s great to see her each time. Two, it is really awesome to see Cash’s reaction when we pull up to the library. He knows where he is and what he is there to do. I get him out of the car and he heads right for the library door.

to m ic’s Ca sh Ca rl R at lif f & A m - ak a Ca sh th M on ey Get R hy

What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: Sometimes it is hard to get Cash to sit still, he really just wants to go meet all the kids. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: I did get some feedback from a mother through Cash’s Facebook page (yes, Cash has a Facebook page!) Here’s the message: Dear Cash, Zane used to read to you when he was struggling at the beginning of second grade. You were so patient with his process of reading. Your fur is so soft and he liked your time together. He loved to feed you treats. Now that Zane is in the third grade, I have to continually tell him to stop reading to do other activities or chores. Thank you for believing in him and lending your listening ear. I am a long time animal advocate and supporter of this outstanding program. Bravo Cash and Bravo Zane!

Volunteer at WHS for seven months Describe your volunteer duties: I volunteer in the small animal room. My duties include giving the animals TLC and some time outside their cage to stretch their legs. Another one of my duties is to get to know the animals more and write some of their personality traits and quirks on the volunteer visit forms. This way potential adopters can learn more about them. Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: I started volunteering because I was a student in the PAWS class at Sehome High School. I had a lot of fun helping out and I wanted to become a volunteer at the Humane Society after that. My favorite part about volunteering is getting to know the animals that I’m working with and really see their personality come alive.

Te ss a M a z u r

What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: The toughest part about volunteering is seeing an animal at the humane society for a long time. I want them all to find their forever homes, but sadly it’s harder to find homes for animals that are older or have special needs. It is quite unfortunate. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: I don’t really have a special story, but one time I took two girl rats to the get-acquainted room for some exercise. They both ended up sitting on my head and they wouldn’t get off. I tried to gently pull them off but they both seemed so comfortable and didn’t want to move. I ended up just walking back to the small animal room with them on my head. They did jump into their cage when they had the opportunity!

Volunteer at WHS for 18 months Describe your volunteer duties: I cuddle and play with kitties! Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: I moved to Bellingham without a cat and a friend suggested I volunteer at WHS and get to know the kitties there. I ended up adopting Raffi before I could go through the training! I love being part of the WHS community: the staff, the volunteers, those looking to adopt, and the wonderful animals we get to nurture. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: Not getting too attached to the cats. I have to be involved with them but keep my emotional distance or it gets too difficult to leave them. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: I love it when I really “click” with someone looking to adopt and they ask me who my favorites are. In three cases now they have adopted that kitty. That is a wonderful moment for me.

K a re n Lin dva ll-L a rs on

Volunteer at WHS for almost two years Describe your volunteer duties: I volunteer at the WHS farm facility cleaning horse poop, cleaning stalls, brushing horses, talking to the horses. Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: Because they needed more help. My favorite part is being around the horses and seeing how they’ve improved over time. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: Letting the horses go to a foster or new adoptive home.

Tati a n a L a n g le y

Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: Before Peanut (a young pony) went to a foster home, he was a shy little guy and scared all the time. When he came back to the farm he was a brand new horse – calm, doesn’t get scared, and loves people.

Volunteer at WHS for six years Describe your volunteer duties: Walk the dogs, spend TLC time, work with other volunteers and staff, help with the front desk, clean up after pets & work on obedience commands, especially with the dogs that can be difficult to handle. Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: I love animals and wanted to help the community. My favorite part is working with the different dog breeds and helping to improve their behavior for adoption. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: The toughest part is saying goodbye to a dog you have bonded to. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: Ripley, who was at our shelter for a length of time, was adopted by one of my best friends and I had established a very strong bond with him. I would dog-sit for my friend, and after a month of him being gone from the shelter, I stopped by. Ripley hadn’t forgotten a thing. He was acting like a puppy and wouldn’t stop licking me and crying. It was very nice to see the strength of a bond a person and dog can have.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Je n n ife r Su e 7

Volunteers at WHS since: Santina: I have been volunteering at WHS for 5 years, since November 2008. Savannah: I have been volunteering since I was 12 years old with the cats, and even before that fostering kittens Describe your volunteer duties: Santina: I was originally trained as a dog walker and Cat TLC volunteer. But shortly after I started volunteering I was offered a position in the Vet clinic with Dr. Rounds. I have no “formal” training, but my first job was in a vet clinic in Ohio. So I had a lot of hands-on knowledge and whatever I did not know they taught me. So every Tuesday morning I am at the shelter helping to prep animals for their surgeries and to help them wake up. I also foster kittens at my home. We have had 70 foster kittens in the last 5 years.

Sa nt in a & Sa va n n L a mp ma n

Savannah: At the shelter I do TLC with the cats, and as I have mentioned before I also foster the kittens. I do everything and anything I can do to help out. One of my many jobs that are coming up is helping out at Critter Camp. Critter Camp is a wonderful day camp the humane society is doing for children who want to learn more about animals.

Why did you start volunteering at WHS and what is your favorite part about volunteering: Santina: I started volunteering because I had always wanted to be part of the organization. I wanted to be able to help out the animals that needed the most help. I am a huge animal person. I was not sure I could commit to the full 6 months, because you never know what life will throw at you. I guess it was a great fit for me because I am still there. I love being at the shelter and seeing all the animals of course, but the people are what keep me coming back. I always feel like I am making a difference and that I am appreciated. There are some of the best people at the shelter and I want to help make their day go as smoothly as I do the animals. I love being in the clinic because I get to see the animals in their last stop before they go home. I know that they will be spayed/neutered and go to their hopefully forever homes. I also enjoy knowing that the sick or injured animals are getting some of the best care and will go on to be healthy and happy. Savannah: I started volunteering because I wanted to do something to help all of the animals without homes. My mom had already been volunteering there, so I thought it was the best way to get involved. My favorite part of being a volunteer is all the new and exciting things I get to do around there. A lot of the time I’m asked to do things only volunteers ages 16+ get to do; it makes me feel like they believe in me and it boosts my confidence that I can make a difference. What is the toughest part about volunteering at WHS: Santina: The toughest part is seeing the abused animals and knowing their stories. Sometimes I get sad or angry that people are so awful. But there is always a bright side in knowing that they are getting the help they need and out of a bad situation. Savannah: There’s not really a hard part to volunteering at WHS. It is something I love doing. But if I had to pick a hard part it is to see those cute little kittens grow up into obnoxious bouncing balls of hyperness. Do you have a special story about a WHS animal or your volunteer experience you would like to share: Santina: My favorite story is about a foster cat I had that we named Sapphire. She was a two-year-old pregnant Siamese with a terrible kitty cold. I have never seen a cat as sick as she was. But I took her home because I wanted to give the kittens a good chance at survival (and I have a soft spot for Siamese cats). I was prepared to lose the litter if they were born while she was sick. Well, of course they were born sooner than hoped and mom was still sick. She had four Siamese girls and a black boy. Sapphire would nurse them just fine, but would not wash them. She would just look at you with this look of disgust. So we bathed them and kept them clean. I think in the end, the thing that kept them alive was that she would not wash them. They never got her germs. They were a lucky batch of kittens! We did lose one, but it was not to the dreaded cold. She was just the runt and had issues all her own. The other four kittens went on to find amazing homes and Sapphire got a wonderful home of her own where she was finally called Saffy. Savannah: Yes, there are a lot of stories I’d like to share, but that would take a while! I’ll just share the most memorable one. My mom was volunteering at the clinic when some guy came in to surrender his rose hair tarantula. Everyone at the shelter was all freaked out that a tarantula was coming in, so my mom volunteered to take her home. So, we ended up with our first tarantula named Persephone. We now have six because that first one was so awesome. She was also featured in the WHS calendar for October.

Save the Date! WHS MASQUERADE GALA & AUCTION October 25th ~ Bellingham Golf & Country Club The social fund raising event of the year! Masquerade attire, fine dining, and multiple auctions raise much needed funds for the continued operations of our animal shelters. Unique auction items needed - vacation trips, sporting event tickets, concert tickets, winery tours, antiques, etc.

For more information, please contact Dana Browne at (360)733-2080, ext # 3014 or email: events@whatcomhumane.org

You “Auto” Donate! You “auto” donate your old car, truck, boat, boathouse, RV or trailer for the animals at the Whatcom Humane Society. All donated vehicles must be in good running condition - no “junkers” please! Your donation is tax deductible and will help support the programs and services that WHS provides all year long. For more information please contact Laura Clark at (360) 733 - 2080, ext. #3026 or email director@whatcomhumane.org

“Friend” us on Facebook & Twitter

“Friend” us on Facebook & Twitter! Become a “fan” of the WHS Facebook and Twitter page and receive updates about what’s happening at our shelter and the latest up-to-date information on animal-related issues in our community. ******************* Want to receive the latest WHS news via email? Sign up and join our email newsletter list. Email your address to: admin@whatcomhumane.org. In the “message” line, type “join email news list.” Thanks!