As a volunteer blog editor at the Seattle Animal Shelter, I wrote blog posts that covered pet reunions, and local events for pet adoptions.
Kitty Hall is back – Monday, Aug. 21 at Seattle Kitty Hall
Kitty Hall returns on August 21 in Seattle City Hall to promote the Seattle Animal Shelter cat fostering programs and cat adoptions.
“It’s a celebration of felines, the Seattle Animal Shelter, SAS foster programs and our wonderful, supportive Seattle community,” said Interim Volunteer Supervisor Laura Mundy.
Although previous Kitty Hall attendees proved they will wait in long lines to play with kittens, SAS will reduce this year’s wait times by providing two to three tents, instead of just one. SAS will fill tents in the Bertha Knight Landes Room at City Hall with kittens from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and some will be available for adoption, according to Mundy.
Seattle Animal Shelter’s Furry 5K supports vet care, helps save lives
The Furry 5K supports vet care for animals at the Seattle Animal Shelter that face severe health conditions or have been subject to neglect or abuse. Take Hero, for example. Our humane law enforcement officers picked up Hero, a thin but happy stray dog found near Beacon Hill, and during an examination our vet noticed he had a heart murmur. Hero was going to require multiple vet appointments moving forward, but rather than keep him in the shelter environment for the duration, the SAS foster program connected him with volunteer Christy Avery. With Christy’s help, Hero had a comfortable home to return to after his vet appointments – a home where he could relax and thrive. Hero has since found a permanent home with So, who had this to say about his best friend:
Furry 5K supports medical needs at the Seattle Animal Shelter
Now a regular fixture in Seattle Animal Shelter’s designated clinic room, Dr. Nick Urbanek doesn’t get much downtime. As the new director of shelter medicine, Urbanek provides veterinary evaluation and treatment for the many animals – dogs, cats and critters – that come under the shelter’s care.
“There are a thousand distractions here,” said Urbanek. “It’s never quiet.”
The shelter made large strides by hiring him as an in-house veterinarian in February 2017, but Urbanek said SAS still needs more veterinarian resources.
A happy reunion, “Haku” goes home
The greying black lab was panting and wagging his tail furiously – Haku had just seen Rick Osterhout, and he knew he was going home.
In 2016, the Seattle Animal Shelter reunited 493 dogs with their owners. Haku was one of the first in 2017.
On Friday, Jan. 28, Haku went missing when he snuck out through Osterhout’s back door. Osterhout posted Haku’s photo on multiple websites, including his neighborhood watch in Ravenna.
“A lost dog in an urban setting is really tough because he’s a dark color and it’s dark outside at night,” said Osterhout.
Erin Berge 