National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

November 1st, 2019

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Each year during the first full week of November, the National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week recognizes the shelters that provide compassionate care to numerous pets, and help find loving homes for many abandoned and stray animals. This week, founded by the Humane Society of the United States, is also dedicated to the caring animal shelter staff who work tirelessly to protect animals and keep them healthy, safe, and happy.

Animal Shelters Serve the Community

Animal shelters offer an essential service to their communities. They provide safe havens for animals and are an excellent resource for pet adoption. They also provide spay and neuter services to help reduce pet overpopulation and homelessness. Shelters are often involved in investigating animal neglect and cruelty, and play a critical role in reuniting missing pets with their families. Their caring staff and volunteers teach kids and new pet parents how to care for animals.
 

Help a Shelter Today

There are many animal shelters in our Seattle-Kirkland area, so please consider helping by volunteering your time or donating to your local shelter. Many of our shelters struggle to make ends meet, so every penny helps. Get your children involved. Maybe set up a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to help an animal in need. You'll be helping raise awareness in your community, but most importantly, you'll be teaching your kids the value of loving and giving to our precious furry friends.
 

Adopt a Furr-Ever Friend

Make sure to avoid dealing with pet shops that often have inhumane methods of obtaining animals to sell. Adopt from your local pet shelter instead, and encourage others to do so as well. However, some of our local pet stores work in partnership with the Regional Animal Shelter of King County (RASKC), so inquire about the pet's origins.

Please check out these local organizations for more information about volunteering and adopting:

• The Whole Cat and Kaboodle: Next door to us – partners with RASKC
• Kirkland Petco: Partners with RASKC
• MEOW Cat Rescue: Independent non-profit feline, and canine, welfare organization
• The Seattle Humane Society: Located in Bellevue
• Seattle Area Feline Rescue: Non-profit rescue for Seattle
• Regional Animal Shelter of King County: Cost effective services in King County
• Purrfect Pals: Non-profit offering cat adoption and rehabilitation programs
• PAWS: Located in Lynwood
• Homeward Pet: Located in Woodinville
   

Be a Responsible Pet Owner

When you adopt a forever friend, it's a lifetime commitment. It's not just for a day or two. Nothing is worse than giving an animal a loving home and turning around and changing your mind a few days or weeks later.

Spay or neuter your pets to help control the animal overpopulation problem and to play your role in reducing animal homelessness. Make sure your feline friends are microchipped and wear ID tags to assist in locating them if they are lost. The advantage of adopting from a shelter is the cat will already be spayed/neutered and likely microchipped.
 

Spread the Word

You can help raise awareness of the critical role animal shelters play in serving the community. Take a moment today to reach out to those you know and educate them about the importance of supporting our animal shelters and their staff.
 

Celebrating Our Local Animal Shelters

Join us at All About Cats Veterinary Hospital in the Kirkland area in celebrating our local animal shelters and their exceptional staff. Stop by and let them know how much you appreciate their selflessness and commitment. Thanks to them, so many hurting animals find the love and care they so desperately need!