NON-RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS

SafeHaven volunteers come from all walks of life, but did you know that they also come from all over the Northwest? We're lucky to call several out-of-state friends, volunteers as much as the volunteers who come in to work with us in the shelter and thrift stores. Meet just a few:

Mikey Sedlock and Peggy Kowal have been friends for 30 years from the days Peggy and Fred lived in Klamath Falls. In 2003, the Kowals moved to Albany.

On the way to the coast, Mikey would always stop for a visit. Mikey and Peggy are animal lovers, with a fondness for cats. Peggy started volunteering at SafeHaven in 2018 and told Mikey of all the wonderful cats they took in. Mikey has two cats, Ollie who was older and Gracie was a year and a half. Mikey wanted a companion for Gracie and one closer to her age. In November 2019, she saw Taylor on the website so, on a trip to the coast, Peggy took Mikey to SafeHaven to meet Taylor. It was love at first sight. She put her on hold and on their way home, stopped to finalize the adoption. Taylor is now Fiona. She and Gracie bonded right away.

Knowing it would work out, they brought their carrier with them, but Mikey got to thinking about the kitties that go home in the cardboard carriers provided by SafeHaven. She thought they should have a nice soft blankie at the bottom. So her journey began. Mikey began making and donating blankets to go home with adopted cats and kittens that fit in the temporary crates. At night while watching TV, she crochets around the edges with colorful yarn. Mikey told us she is happy that the crocheting has helped the arthritis in her fingers (another plus)! To date, she has made approximately 1,000 blankies and we are so grateful!

Mikey believes in SafeHaven’s mission and wants to help even more, so she generously sponsors two cats a month and is a member of the Inner Circle, a monthly giving program that benefits the animals at SafeHaven. Her dog owner daughter, Jenn, sponsors one kitty a month as well. If Mikey lived closer, she’d be right out there volunteering in person.

Stella Kowal, also a cat lover, is Peggy’s sister-in-law. Stella lives in Sequim, WA and also wanted to know how she could help SafeHaven. She is a sewer and offered to make some laundry bags for the dog floor laundry to hold the leashes, collars and tennis balls. She makes them out of denim so they are nice and sturdy. She says it’s not much. Oh, Stella, you have no idea what a help it is!

Make The Holidays Safer For Your Pets

Winter holidays can be a joyous time for humans, yet a dangerous time for our four-legged family members. The curious nature of cats, plus a dog’s strong sense of smell, causes both animals to get into holiday decorations, food, and drinks that could lead them to wind up in a veterinary clinic. Be sure to take some extra pet-proofing measures this year to keep your best friend happy and safe all holiday season.

Holiday Guests

Ringing doorbells, increased activity, and visitors during the holiday season can be stressful and upsetting to a pet’s routine. Be sure to make sure there is a safe space for your pet to escape to when your home is busy. Include in the space their food, water, and litter box in the room, too. If your pet is overly stressed by holiday visitors, consult with your family veterinarian about possible solutions. And make certain your pet has proper identification. A microchip and tags on their collar can help quickly identify your pet should they ever be separated from you.

Christmas Tree Ornaments

Curious pets are often attracted to ornaments hanging from the Christmas tree. Treasured ornaments should be hung high up on the Christmas tree so they are out of the reach of curious cats and rambunctious dogs. Wooden, metal, resin-cast or other durable ornaments should be used on the lower branches. Or, for your pet’s safety, avoid placing any ornaments on the lower branches of the Christmas tree.

Holiday Food Dangers

Skip the Sweets. By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, grapes, etc. Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. SafeHaven's retail store and Gift & Thrift stores are perfect for finding stocking stuffers for your pet and helps support the animals still waiting for homes for the holidays.

BENTLEY'S TOY DRIVE

December 7th was a big day for a little dog named Bentley. It was his 17th birthday! Many of you may know Bentley, as he is the “top dog” behind Bentley’s Coffee. In honor of his very special birthday, the generous Bentley’s Coffee team decided that they wanted to make a difference in the lives of homeless pets. Bentley has all the toys he could possibly need, but they know not all animals are as lucky. So, on December 7th, anyone who brought a new dog toy to one of the Bentley’s Coffee locations received any drink of their choice for free! Last year, 458 toys were donated to local animal shelters. This year, they even topped that number! The donations were split between SafeHaven Humane Society and Oregon Humane Society and on December 9th, Bentley’s friends dropped off several hundred brand new toys for our dogs to enjoy. This was such a special treat and we let every dog pick out whichever toy they were most interested in. Thank you Bentley and team for spoiling our animals this holiday season!

Holidays On A Budget

We all know that the holidays can be a stressful (and expensive) time of the year for many people, but we have the solution! Need some new Christmas decorations? We’ve got them! Need an outfit for that holiday party? We have so many to choose from! Need gift ideas for that one family member that is hard to shop for? We definitely have something they’ll enjoy! SafeHaven has two Gift & Thrift locations with so much to choose from, it’s sure to make your holidays easy and affordable!

Check out some of the holiday items we have in our stores right now! And as an added bonus, you can tell the recipient of your gift or the visitors to your house that you shopped at SafeHaven Gift and Thrift and helped contribute to saving thousands of homeless and