Martha Norwalk's Animal World

Pawsitive Alliance
Pawsitive Alliance's mission is "to work towards the end of pet overpopulation by connecting and strengthening the groups and people of Washington State who have the common goal of ending the companion animal overpopulation crisis; increasing cat and dog adoptions; increasing the number of cats and dogs that are spayed and neutered; and offering informational resources to the public." Their website is loaded with information and resources along with locations of shelters. Visit them at www.pawsitivealliance.org

Everett Animal Shelter needs volunteers
Here's you chance to help homeless animals and have fun at the same time! Orientation/training for new volunteers is held the second Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. No pre-registration required: just show up! The shelter is located at 2732 36th Street in Everett. For information on volunteering contact the shelter at EAS.volunteers@verizon.net

Seattle Animal Control needs volunteers
Now here's a volunteer opportunity you can really get your claws into! Seattle Animal Control volunteers do many things. Volunteers are needed to help with cats (socializing, medicating, and playing with them to keep their spirits up), and dogs (walking and running them), matchmakers are needed to help with adoptions, and the agency is always looking for foster families.

The agency also has a Help The Animals Fund which helps to pay for medical care for orphans who are sick or injured. This fund is entirely donation-based and is essential for the orphan animals as their budget from the city only pays for emergency medical care for strays. For more information about how to volunteer, call (206) 615-0820 or long onto their website at www.cityofseattle.net/rca/animal.
The general phone number for Seattle Animal Control is (206) 386-PETS.

Shelters: Raise money with "Tails of Devotion: A Look at the Bond Between People and Their Pets," by Emily Scott Pottruck. This is a coffee table book featuring photographs of people (from celebrities to children) and their pets, and is winner of the 2006 Independent Publishers Book Award. For information visit www.tailsofdevotion.com

DOGS/CATS

ANGELS IN FLIGHT
Diane Waltman, 253-941-5896

ANIMAL SAFE HAVEN ASSOCIATION
PO Box 46114, Seattle, WA. 98146. (206) 935-1919.
A nonprofit, small organization dedicated to the health and welfare of animals in the Seattle area. ASHA operates from private foster homes and adopts its cats and kittens directly from their homes into yours. ASHA Rescues homeless and neglected animals, primarily cats and kittens on an average of 1,000 per year. ASHA operates with volunteers and donations.

BASSETT HOUND RESCUE OF WASHINGTON
Alexa Paul, 6108 228th St. SE, Woodinville, WA 98072.
425-481-7309

ANIMAL HOME FIND
9003 Tieton Drive, Yakima, WA 98908. 509-966-3464
No-Kill shelter, Adoptions. Cats, small to large dogs.

ADOPT A PET
PO Box 1594, Shelton, WA 98584-0986, 206-426-2610

ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY OF THE SAN JUANS
PO Box 1355, 1 Shelter Road, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.
360-378-2158

ALTERNATIVE HUMANE SOCIETY OF WHATCOM COUNTY
PO Box 2321, Bellingham, WA 98227. 206-671-7445.
Spay/neuter/pet food assistance and adoptions

BELLINGHAM WHATCOM COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY
3710 Williamson Way, Bellingham, WA 98226. 360-676-5024.
Rescues animals, adoptions, spay and neuter assistance

CASCADE ANIMAL CLINIC
121 S. Ferry, Monroe, WA 98272. 360-794-6772
Receives city strays; 3-day hold before euthanasia

CASCADE ANIMAL PROTECTION SOCIETY
31849 Pacific Highway South, #112, Federal Way, WA 98003.
206-863-8004
Pet matching service

CAT KEEPERS
PO Box 73693, Puyallup, WA 98373. 206-846-0105

CHIHUAHUA RESCUE AND REFERRAL
Chihuahua Rescue & Referral rescues abused, injured, homeless and abandoned Chihuahuas in the Pacific Northwest, Lower Mainland British Columbia and Vancouver Island. It is a registered WA state non-profit organization created to provide safe sanctuary for Chihuahuas through rescue, fostering, rehabilitation, adoptions, referrals, re-homing and transport.
See adoptable dogs at: www.chihuahuarescueandreferral.com
For inquires: 206-234-4977 or e-mail resqchi@comcast.net

DELTA SOCIETY SERVICE DOG CENTER
1-800-869-6898

DES MOINES ANIMAL CONTROL
21615 64th Avenue South, Kent, WA 98032. 206-878-3301
Rescues all species.

EDMONDS ANIMAL CONTROL
15305 44th Avenue West, Edmonds, WA 98036. 206-771-0205
Animals sheltered by PAWS

EQUAL ANIMAL RIGHTS SOCIETY EARS
PO Box 1572, Puyallup, WA 98371-0220. 206-891-3277 or
243-9224

EVERETT ANIMAL CONTROL
2930 36th St., Everett, WA 98201. 425-259-8844

What To Do If a Cat Finds You

It can happen anytime. You are going about your daily activities when a cat appears out of nowhere. Where did it come from? If you’re like most people, your first reaction is to call the nearest animal shelter. Before you do this, there are a few things you can do to try to find the owner:

1) place signs/posters in your neighborhood, in stores, vet offices, etc;

2) bring him/her to a nearby vet for a free microchip scan;

3) post notices on internet sites such as Petfinder.com and online bulletin boards.

If none of these steps yield an owner, contact the Animal Control agency for your area. Cities generally have a contract for animal control services. This provides a single location for an owner to be reunited with a lost pet. Animal Control agencies such as King County Animal Services and Seattle Animal Shelter will hold a stray for 72 hours before offering it to others for adoption.

Neighborhood strays and abandoned animals known to have been without an owner for 30 days or more can be put up for adoption through other local shelters. Sadly, all shelters and rescue groups have severely limited space, so trying to rehome the cat yourself may also be a good idea.

What If You Find a Litter of Kittens?

If you find a litter of kittens, they were likely born to a free roaming or feral cat, not to someone’s pet. Time is often of the essence. Contact a local animal shelter immediately. The kittens need a food source, socialization, and possibly even medical attention.

Kittens that aren’t socialized to human touch by about eight weeks of age are less likely to be adoptable --which means that shelters can’t take them -- which, in turn, only adds to the cycle of homelessness. Even if your local shelter cannot take the kittens immediately, they might help you with supplies and give you tips on kitten care. Your temporary job then would be to socialize, socialize, socialize!

Is There a Kitten Shortage?

This question comes up every year in the winter. People looking for small kittens in winter find that there aren’t very many at that time of year. Breeding does slow down as the days get shorter, but things turn around when the days begin to lengthen. By January, unaltered females are becoming pregnant. The gestation period is about two months, which means that the majority of kitten births begin in March and April.

Once the kittens reach adoptable age, there is a kitten explosion in every single shelter across the country. Each year shelters are teeming with kittens from spring through late fall. Each year, thousands of animals must be turned away or euthanized due to lack of available space and homes for them. Each year, shelters hope fewer kittens will be born. Don’t worry. There is not now and there never will be a kitten shortage.

One last word - An unspayed female, her mate and all of their offspring, producing 2 litters per year with a survival rate of only 2.8 kittens per litter, in just 3 years could become 376 cats! If you, a friend, family member, neighbor or coworker have an unaltered animal, please, please, please spay and neuter!

A list of low cost spay/neuter clinics can be found at: www.meowcatrescue.org/lowcostspayneuter.html