Willamette Humane Society

WILLAMETTE HUMANE SOCIETY IS DEDICATED TO ESTABLISHING, MAINTAINING, AND ENCHANCING THE BOND BETWEEN COMPANION ANIMALS AND PEOPLE OF MARION AND POLK COUNTIES.

SHELTERING/ANIMAL CARE: IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2021-2022, WHS RECEIVED 2,623 DOGS AND CATS FOR REHOMING, CRISIS HOUSING, OR MEDICAL CARE. 80% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER WERE CATS. THE AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR BOTH CATS AND DOGS WAS 15 DAYS. COMPASSIONATE END-OF-LIFE SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BY OWNER REQUEST FOR 168 PETS. IN SPITE OF COVID-19 IMPACTED OPERATIONS, WHS HAS MAINTAINED LIFE-SAVING INITIATIVES AND POSITIVE OUTCOMES. THIS FISCAL YEAR, OVER 90 PERCENT OF ANIMALS BROUGHT INTO THE SHELTER WERE SAVED: 1,993 PETS WERE ADOPTED, AND 75 PETS WERE RETURNED TO THEIR OWNERS. 165 PETS WERE TRANSFERRED TO PARTNERS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CAT ADOPTION TEAM, OREGON HUMANE SOCIETY, AND OTHERS. EXTENSIVE RESOURCES OF STAFF TIME, SHELTER SPACE, AND TREATMENT COSTS WERE DEDICATED TO HELPING SUCCESSFULLY PREPARE PETS TO GO HOME. AN OFF-SITE ADOPTION PARTNERSHIP WITH PETSMART ALLOWED WHS TO HOUSE MORE CATS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION AND IN LOCATIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE PANDEMIC. JUST AS PET OWNERS MUST MAKE TOUGH END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS FOR THEIR PETS, WHS LEADERSHIP CHOSE HUMANE EUTHANASIA FOR 51 DOGS AND 145 CATS WITH UNTREATABLE OR UNMANAGEABLE MEDICAL OR BEHAVIORAL QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. ZERO HEALTHY, REHABILITATABLE, OR MANAGEABLE PETS WERE EUTHANIZED, AND NO PET WAS EUTHANIZED FOR SPACE OR TIME LIMITS.VETERINARY CARE - WHS SPAY & NEUTER CLINIC:THE WHS SPAY & NEUTER CLINIC TEAM PERFORMED 4,640 SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES IN 2021-22: 1,436 OWNED PETS, 1,311 COMMUNITY CATS, 360 PETS FROM OTHER RESCUE GROUPS, AND 1,533 WHS SHELTER PETS, AND AN ADDITIONAL 104 WHS PETS RECEIVED SURGERIES OTHER THAN SPAY OR NEUTER. THE NEED FOR VETERINARY CARE CAN BE A SIGNIFICANT BARRIER TO ADOPTION. TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE PETS AND FACILITATE SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS, CLINIC STAFF PERFORMED 462 ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES, SUCH AS DENTAL CLEANINGS AND EXTRACTIONS, AMPUTATIONS, GROWTH REMOVALS, AND MORE, FOR SHELTER PETS-SERVICES CONSERVATIVELY VALUED AT OVER $20,000.BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING:SHELTER BEHAVIOR PROGRAMS MATCHED SKILLED TRAINING TEAM STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS WITH DOGS AND CATS WITH BEHAVIORAL BARRIERS TO ADOPTION, TEACHING THEM THE LIFE SKILLS NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFULLY PLACED IN HOMES. WEEKLY "360 MEETINGS" REVIEW EVERY ANIMAL IN CARE TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF EACH SPECIFIC ANIMAL. BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING (B&T) STAFF CONDUCTED 295 EVALUATIONS FOR DOGS AND CATS WITH BEHAVIORAL CONCERNS IN ORDER TO ADVISE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AT THESE MEETINGS, AND THEN DEVELOP BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION PLANS AS NEEDED. B&T STAFF WORKED TO ESTABLISH THE BOND BETWEEN PETS AND PEOPLE BY SUPERVISING 29 ADOPTION MEETS FOR POTENTIAL ADOPTERS TO HELP THEM MAKE THE RIGHT MATCH, AS WELL AS HELPING 16 FAMILIES WITH POST-ADOPTION CONSULTS FOR THEIR NEW DOG. A TOTAL OF 206 DOGS ATTENDED WHS PUBLIC CLASSES. CLASSES INCLUDE BASIC AND ADVANCED TRAINING, PUPPY SOCIALIZATION AND TRAINING, BEHAVIOR SOLUTIONS, AND SPECIALTY CLASSES. THE SHELTER'S STAFF RESPONDED TO BEHAVIOR HELPLINE INQUIRIES (VIA PHONE AND EMAIL) AND ASSISTED MORE THAN 237 INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION, B&T STAFF SUPERVISED 42 PLAYGROUPS FOR SHELTER DOGS. PRIVATE TRAINING SESSIONS AND BEHAVIOR CONSULTATIONS WITH WHS CPDT-KA CREDENTIALED DOG TRAINERS HELPED 155 LOCAL FAMILIES MAINTAIN AND STRENGTHEN THE BOND BETWEEN DOGS AND THEIR PEOPLE. WHS CONTINUES TO BE A LEADER IN BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING. B&T STAFF CONDUCTED SKILL-BUILDING TRAINING SESSIONS FOR WHS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS, OFFERING 90 TRAINING SESSIONS TO LEARN A VARIETY OF ADVANCED DOG HANDLING AND BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION SKILLS, AS WELL AS CAT ENRICHMENT. IN ADDITION, A WIDE VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION WAS DISTRIBUTED THROUGH BLOG POSTS ON THE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE, AND PRINT MATERIAL.FOSTER PROGRAM: THE SHELTER STRETCHES FAR BEYOND ITS WALLS WITH 681 CATS, DOGS, KITTENS, AND PUPPIES CARED FOR IN VOLUNTEER FOSTER HOMES. THESE PETS SPENT AN AVERAGE OF 12 WEEKS IN FOSTER CARE WITH 97 FOSTER FAMILIES. THESE FAMILIES PROVIDED THE TIME, LOVE, SOCIALIZATION, MEDICAL TREATMENT, OR REHABILITATIVE TRAINING NECESSARY FOR EACH OF THESE SPECIAL PETS WITH INDIVIDUALIZED BARRIERS TO ADOPTION, INCLUDING 523 KITTENS, MANY OF WHOM WERE BOTTLE BABIES NEEDING ROUND-THE-CLOCK CARE AND ATTENTION BEFORE THEY WERE READY FOR ADOPTION. VOLUNTEERS:WELCOMING NEW VOLUNTEERS AS WELL AS THOSE RETURNING FROM FURLOUGH DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, WHS STAFF WORKED ALONGSIDE 258 ON-SITE VOLUNTEERS, OVER 60% MORE THAN THE PRIOR YEAR. THESE VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 19,028 HOURS AT WHS AND AT THE WHS THRIFT STORE, A 49% INCREASE IN SERVICE HOURS. THIS WAS THE EQUIVALENT OF OVER 9 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. CONSERVATIVELY CALCULATED AT THE WHS STARTING WAGE, THE VALUE OF THIS SUPPORT WOULD BE OVER $256,000. WHS VOLUNTEERS SUPPORT THE MISSION IN A VARIETY OF WAYS, INCLUDING:*CLEANING KENNELS, SOCIALIZING CATS, AND WALKING DOGS*ASSISTING IN ADOPTIONS, INTAKE, AND ADMINISTRATIONPROVIDING GROUNDS MAINTENANCE, FACILITIES IMPROVEMENTS, AND PROFESSIONAL IN-KIND SERVICES*DRIVING ANIMALS TO VETERINARY SPECIALIST APPOINTMENTS AND TRANSFERS, HELPING WITH SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC OPERATIONS, AND HELPING COORDINATE KITTEN FOSTER PROGRAMS.*STAFFING THE WHS THRIFTSTORE, OFF-SITE ADOPTION EVENTS, AND ASSORTED FUNDRAISING EVENTS*PROVIDING LEADERSHIP FOR THE ORGANIZATION THROUGH SERVICE ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORSHUMANE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: THE HUMANE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAM REACHED OVER 1,140 PEOPLE IN MARION AND POLK COUNTIES. WHILE PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS ON IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES CONTINUED TO LIMIT THE ABILITY TO REACH STUDENTS, WHS STAFF DELIVERED BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CLASSROOM TOURS WITH PRESENTATIONS ABOUT SAFETY, ANIMAL WELFARE CAREERS, PET OWNER RESPONSIBILITY, AND EMPATHY FOR PETS. THIS PROGRAM REACHED OVER 1,140 YOUTH AND ADULTS IN THE MID-VALLEY.PET RESOURCE CENTER:PET RESOURCE SPECIALISTS (PRS) ARE TRAINED TO ASSIST THE PUBLIC WITH PET-RELATED ISSUES, HELP LOCATE RESOURCES FOR PETS AND PEOPLE, AND SCREEN AND SCHEDULE INCOMING PETS. IN FY 21-22, THEY RESPONDED TO 12,120 CALLS. MOST CALLS WERE REGARDING OUR PRIMARY SERVICES: STRAY CATS (13 PERCENT), ADOPTION (12%), SURRENDERING A CAT (12 PERCENT), AND SURRENDERING A DOG (11 PERCENT). IN ADDITION, THE PUBLIC REACHED OUT TO WHS TO REPORT A LOST PET (7 PERCENT) AND TO REQUEST END-OF-LIFE SERVICES (6 PERCENT). COMMUNITY SPAY NEUTER ASSISTANCE: THE WHS SPAY & NEUTER CLINIC PERFORMED 4,640 SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES IN 2021-22: 1,436 OWNED PETS, 1,311 COMMUNITY CATS, 360 PETS FROM OTHER RESCUE GROUPS, AND 1,533 WHS SHELTER PETS.WHS IS THE PRIMARY SUPPORTER OF THE MARION POLK COMMUNITY CAT PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO REDUCE SHELTER EUTHANASIA RATES FOR FELINES BY INCREASING ACCESS TO FREE OR HIGHLY SUBSIDIZED SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES FOR COMMUNITY CATS (FERAL/STRAY/AT LARGE/UN-OWNED). THESE EFFORTS CONSEQUENTLY REDUCE THE COMMUNITY CAT POPULATION AND SHELTER INTAKE, PARTICULARLY FOR LITTERS OF UNWEANED, UNOWNED KITTENS. WHS OFFERS THESE SERVICES FOR UNOWNED CATS AT NO COST TO MARION AND POLK COUNTY RESIDENTS. TOTAL PEOPLE AND ANIMALS SERVED IN 2021-2022: 70,486 PEOPLE (INCLUDING VISITORS TO WHS AND THE THRIFT STORE NOT COUNTED ELSEWHERE) AND 5,550 ANIMALS (2,973 INTAKES, 3,107 PUBLIC AND PARTNER S/N SERVICES, 218 B&T CLIENTS). THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHS SHELTER AND RELATED SERVICES REACHED OVER 18.5 PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLDS IN MARION AND POLK COUNTIES.