The “Help the Animals Fund” was created in 1977 to pay for life-saving veterinary care for sick, injured and abused animals at the Shelter. As the Shelter’s veterinary needs grew, volunteers started the Furry 5K in 1999 to raise money for the Fund and to raise awareness about responsible pet ownership. Last year, the Fund covered nearly $150,000 in veterinary bills.

“The Furry 5K has been a wonderful event for the orphaned animals of the Seattle Animal Shelter. Because of the generous Furry 5K participants, we have been able to provide veterinary care to thousands of orphaned animals and have been able to guarantee that all adoptable animals will find loving new homes,” said Shelter Director Don Jordan.

Shelter staff anticipates that this year’s Furry 5K will draw more than 3,000 people and 1,500 furry canines. The race will begin at 10 a.m. and will be followed by Pet-a-Palooza, a partnership with CBS Radio to feature entertainment, festive music, awards and an interactive vendor area. The Furry 5K is one of the few races in the Puget Sound area that encourages participants to run or walk with their dogs.

The Seattle Animal Shelter cares for approximately 6,000 stray and owner-surrendered animals each year. Many of these animals arrive sick and injured from living on the streets; others are seized from abusive or neglectful owners.

The Shelter is located at 2061 15^th Ave. W., about a mile south of the Ballard Bridge. It is open Wednesday – Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. For more information call (206)386-7387, or visit the Web site at www.seattleanimalshelter.org

Please sign up for the orientation by emailing sasfostercatsorientation@gmail.com no later than 5 p.m., Saturday, May 4. Once you have signed up, you will receive an orientation packet to bring with you. Orientation will be cancelled if there are no sign-ups.

The Seattle Animal Shelter relies on volunteers to provide temporary foster care in their homes to rehabilitate and nurture sick, injured and immature cats and kittens or to just give adoptable cats a break from the shelter environment. 

“Volunteers have told us this is a perfect project for the whole family and provides an opportunity for children to learn about the joys and responsibilities of having an animal without making a long-term commitment,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan. “The ultimate beneficiaries are the pets who are nurtured by their foster families, and the families who adopt them.”

Jordan says the foster care program is quite simple. You provide food and a temporary home; the Seattle Animal Shelter will provide any necessary veterinary care. The shelter’s “Help the Animals Fund” subsidizes the costs associated with the foster care program including all pre-approved vet care.

If you attend an orientation session you are under no obligation to foster an animal. The orientations are just the first step in the process. Each prospective foster parent is provided with a foster-care manual and a “case manager” who provides advice and answers questions.

For more information or additional directions call (206) 386-7387 (PETS) or go to www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

“Lilies, including the Easter lily, tiger lily, rubrum lily, Japanese show lily and some species of the day lily can cause kidney failure in cats,” says Don Jordan, director of the Seattle Animal Shelter. “Be aware that all parts of the lily plant are considered toxic to cats and consuming even small amounts can be life threatening.”

Within only a few hours of ingesting toxic plant material, a cat may vomit, become lethargic or lose its appetite. These signs continue and worsen as kidney damage progresses. Without prompt and proper treatment by a veterinarian, a cat may develop kidney failure in approximately 36 to 72 hours. Cat owners should remove toxic plants from their cat’s access and are encouraged to consider safer alternatives to Easter lilies such as Easter orchids, Easter lily cactus, Easter daisy or violets.

To help educate cat owners and veterinarians about the dangers of lilies and other plants, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and Cat Fanciers’ Association have developed online materials including photos of common types of dangerous lilies and a list of non-toxic plants. To download the materials, visit http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/plants/ or http://www.cfa.org/CatCare/HouseholdHazards/ToxicPlants.aspx.

The Seattle Animal Shelter, located at 2061 – 15^th Ave. W., is open for adoptions Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.  Please call 206-386-7387 (PETS) for more information. To view animals available for adoption, visit http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

Please sign up for the orientation by emailing sasfostercatsorientation@gmail.com no later than 5 p.m., Saturday, March 2. Once you have signed up, you will receive an orientation packet to bring with you. Orientation will be cancelled if there are no sign-ups.

The Seattle Animal Shelter relies on volunteers to provide temporary foster care in their homes to rehabilitate and nurture sick, injured and immature cats and kittens or to just give adoptable cats a break from the shelter environment. 

“Volunteers have told us this is a perfect project for the whole family and provides an opportunity for children to learn about the joys and responsibilities of having an animal without making a long-term commitment,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan. “The ultimate beneficiaries are the pets who are nurtured by their foster families, and the families who adopt them.”

Jordan says the foster care program is quite simple. You provide food and a temporary home; the Seattle Animal Shelter will provide any necessary veterinary care. The shelter’s “Help the Animals Fund” subsidizes the costs associated with the foster care program including all pre-approved vet care.

If you attend an orientation session you are under no obligation to foster an animal. The orientations are just the first step in the process. Each prospective foster parent is provided with a foster-care manual and a “case manager” who provides advice and answers questions.

For more information or additional directions call (206) 386-7387 (PETS) or go to www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

The Shelter needs volunteers for a variety of important tasks, including: dog walking, 9-lives, Furry 5K event planning, adoption assistants, pet therapy and more. To learn more about the variety of volunteer opportunities, go to http://www.seattle.gov/animalshelter/in-shelter.htm.

“Spaying and neutering are safe, routine surgeries that prevent animals from breeding,” says Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan. “This annual effort helps end the suffering of unwanted and homeless animals in our community by preventing unplanned litters.”

These surgeries usually cost between $120-$155 for dogs, $85-$90 for cats and $75 for rabbits. While there is no residency requirement to take advantage of this special offer, pets of Seattle residents must be currently licensed or a license can be purchased on the day of the appointment. For altered animals, a one-year license is $20 for cats/$27 for dogs, or a two-year license is $27 for cats/$37 for dogs. Vaccinations, if necessary, are $10 each.

Dr. Mary Ellen Zoulas, Director of the shelter’s Spay and Neuter Clinic, also recommends having your pet – dog, cat or rabbit – microchipped while it is at the clinic for surgery. The one-time $30 fee is a minor expense for the invaluable peace of mind provided by this permanent means of identification should your pet ever become lost or stolen.

“Spaying and neutering allows your pet to have a longer, healthier, happier life,” adds Dr. Zoulas. “It can reduce the risk of serious health problems, eliminate undesirable behaviors such as fighting and spraying, and reduce inter-dog aggression.”

Dogs and cats can be spayed or neutered at five months of age or older; rabbits can be spayed or neutered at four months of age or older. Clinic staff have been providing spay and neuter services to the rabbits adopted from the shelter for nearly 15 years, but just this year opened up their practice to any rabbit in need of spay or neuter surgery. Dr. Zoulas and her team are really excited to extend their World Spay Day promotion to include rabbits, Seattle’s third most-popular pet.

This year’s special offer of FREE spay/neuter packages is made possible by the city’s “Pet Population Control Fund,” which provides financial assistance year-round to pet owners who cannot afford the cost of spaying and neutering.

“Spay Day” is an international campaign of The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International. During the month of February, animal shelters and animal welfare agencies throughout the world join forces to promote the spaying and neutering of pets as the most effective and humane way to decrease the euthanasia of homeless animals in shelters throughout the world.

There are several ways you can celebrate Spay Day in February and throughout the year:

• Donate to the “Pet Population Control Fund” at the Seattle Animal Shelter.
• Enter the Spay Day Online Pet Photo Contest. For more information about the contest and about other Spay Day activities, go to the HSUS website: https://spaydayportal.humanesociety.org/.
• Ask friends and family to vote for your pet’s photo at the HSUS site above. You can even add a vote button for your pet on your Facebook page. Each vote costs $1, which can be donated to the Seattle Animal Shelter Spay/Neuter Clinic.
• Turn in a litter. As part of an ongoing Seattle Animal Shelter program, anyone who turns in a litter of puppies or kittens to the shelter, is eligible for a free spay or neuter for the parent animal(s). In return, the shelter guarantees the adoption of these kittens and puppies, if they are adoptable.
• Talk to your friends, neighbors and family about getting their pets spayed or neutered. Year-round the Seattle Animal Shelter’s Spay and Neuter Clinic is able to help those in need with discounted or free spay/neuter surgeries.

To learn about other clinics providing discounted or free services in King, Snohomish, Island and Skagit counties, visit http://www.paws.org/spay-day.html. Not in the area? Visit the Humane Society of the United States’ World Spay Day page at https://spaydayportal.humanesociety.org/.

For more information about Spay Day Seattle, to make a donation to the Pet Population Control Fund, or to learn more about other Seattle Animal Shelter services, call (206) 386- 7387 (PETS), or visit www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

“With our monthly neighborhood adoptathons, we hope to continue to spread the word about the joys and value of adopting shelter pets and saving lives. If you have room in your home and your heart for an orphaned animal, this is a great opportunity to come and see some of the wonderful pets available from our foster-care parents,” says Don Jordan, Seattle Animal Shelter director.

Adoption prices range from $35 to $145 (plus applicable license fees) and include:

• Initial vaccinations
• Deworming
• Feline Leukemia testing
• Certificate for free health exam at local veterinarians
• Spay or neuter
• Microchip

The Seattle Animal Shelter has a foster-care program to rehabilitate sick and immature dogs and cats. Donations from the city’s “Help the Animals Fund” pay for veterinary care for these animals while they are being fostered.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions and licensing. It is located at 2061 – 15th Ave. W. The phone number is (206) 386-7387(PETS). Animals available for adoption can be viewed online athttp://www.seattleanimalshelter.org

Please sign up for the orientation by emailing sasfostercatsorientation@gmail.com no later than 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 2. Once you have signed up, you will receive an orientation packet to bring with you. Orientation will be cancelled if there are no sign-ups.

The Seattle Animal Shelter relies on volunteers to provide temporary foster care in their homes to rehabilitate and nurture sick, injured and immature cats and kittens or to just give adoptable cats a break from the shelter environment. 

“Volunteers have told us this is a perfect project for the whole family and provides an opportunity for children to learn about the joys and responsibilities of having an animal without making a long-term commitment,” says Shelter Director Don Jordan. “The ultimate beneficiaries are the pets who are nurtured by their foster families, and the families who adopt them.”

Jordan says the foster care program is quite simple. You provide food and a temporary home; the Seattle Animal Shelter will provide any necessary veterinary care. The shelter’s “Help the Animals Fund” subsidizes the costs associated with the foster care program including all pre-approved vet care.

If you attend an orientation session you are under no obligation to foster an animal. The orientations are just the first step in the process. Each prospective foster parent is provided with a foster-care manual and a “case manager” who provides advice and answers questions.

For more information or additional directions call (206) 386-7387 (PETS) or go to www.seattleanimalshelter.org.

“Each fall and winter season, thousands of pets are left out in the cold with little or no refuge,” says Seattle Animal Shelter Director Don Jordan. “Pet owners need to take extra precautions during cold weather to prevent a potential tragedy from befalling their beloved pets.”

 Jordan offers the following advice this winter:

• Dogs and cats can get frostbitten ears, noses and feet if left outside. Bring pets indoors during cold weather and take them out only when necessary.
• Pets love the smell and taste of antifreeze and even a small amount can kill them. Clean up spills at once and be alert for antifreeze on the ground or left out in open containers that have not been properly stored or disposed of.
• If your dog must remain outside for a period of time, provide an elevated dog house with clean, dry bedding and a flap over the opening to keep drafts out. The door should face away from the west or north to avoid cold winds. Consider installing a “doggie” door so your pet can seek protection from cold weather in your garage. Check water bowls to make sure they are not frozen and avoid using metal bowls as your pet’s tongue could stick to the frozen metal.
• Gently towel or blow-dry your dog or cat if he or she gets wet from rain or snow. It is important to dry and clean paws as well. This helps avoid tiny cuts and cracked pads. Remember that chemicals used to melt snow and ice on driveways and sidewalks can burn your pet, so check the paws, mouth and belly after a walk.
• Make sure your pet has a current Seattle pet license and always use a leash. When walking on snow, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. A pet license is your best insurance your pet will be returned to you.
• Cats and kittens often nap on warm car engines and hoods. If your car was recently used, knock on the hood or honk the car horn before starting the engine.
• Help your elderly or arthritic pets when they need to go outside.
• Consider a sweater for short-coated breeds, such as Greyhounds and Chihuahuas, before taking them outside but choose wisely. Sweaters made from certain fibers don’t insulate when they get wet and can actually remove heat from an animal’s body. Avoid sweaters made of cotton; wool and some synthetics provide insulation, even when wet.
• Do not leave your pet alone in a car. It gets too cold and can quickly become a freezer, causing hypothermia and possibly death.
• Be careful of fireplaces and portable heaters; keep fireplaces screened and heaters out of reach as a pet may chew the cord or knock it over and cause a fire.
• Like people, dogs and cats are more susceptible to illnesses in the winter. Take your pet to your veterinarian if symptoms occur.

The Seattle Animal Shelter is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. for adoptions, donations and licensing. It is located at 2061 – 15th Ave. W. The phone number is (206) 386-7387 (PETS). More information at http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org.