Winter Pet Press 2022

Executive Director Focus

Dear Friends,

It is almost time to welcome 2023 and I am so excited for what this next year has in store for the animals that need us so much!

Nearly 1 in 5 households welcomed a new dog or cat during the first year of the pandemic. Shelters across the country were empty and those of us in animal welfare were speechless. During this time though, as millions of Americans were seeking the company of a new pet, veterinarians, trainers, and doggy daycares were forced to scale back operations or shut down completely. The result is a generation of many pets that lack traditional training, socialization, have separation anxiety, and remain nervous and scared in new environments and situations. Unfortunately, this ultimately makes rehoming a pet more difficult.

What we learned this past year, is that SafeHaven needed to find a better way to help pets who were shy, under socialized, or shutdown. We needed to house them differently, in a quieter environment, until they were more comfortable at SafeHaven. This would give the volunteers and staff time to work with them, build trust, and help them learn to socialize with people and other pets to help potential adopters see how wonderful they could be. We also learned that we needed to find a better way to isolate sick or injured animals that were brought to us. Finally, we learned that we needed to grow our foster care program to help the overwhelming need of housing and finding homes for cats and kittens in our community.

In August of 2014, SafeHaven proudly completed Phase 1 of our Imagine the Possibilities Capital Campaign with the opening of our new facility. Then in 2017, SafeHaven launched phase 2 of our Capital Campaign, and a small spay/neuter medical center was built within SafeHaven allowing us to provide essential care to our animals onsite. This ensured every animal got the healthiest start to their new life. Now, in 2023, SafeHaven is launching the 3rd and final phase of our Imagine the Possibilities Campaign, which will allow for SafeHaven to care for even more animals, provide isolation wards for sick animals, accommodate special needs animals with quiet, private rooms, and expand our foster care intake capacity. This final construction project will complete the existing facility remodel that SafeHaven started in 2014.

Over the past 50 years, SafeHaven has shown a strong history of care and dedication to both the people and the animals in our community and beyond. The staff and volunteers work together every day to bring hope and joy to the animals in our care. With the completion of this final phase of construction, more pets will get to experience the love and compassion needed to help them transition from SafeHaven into a new home. We couldn’t do any of this without each of you. You make a difference to over 2500 lives each year. Together, we are creating a more compassionate and kinder world for both pets and people. I wish each and every one of you much happiness in the New Year.

For the animals,

Pets and Pajamas is a fun and easy way to get your kids involved with SafeHaven Humane Society, and have a little time for yourselves too. Each night includes pizza, popcorn, a little soda, time spent with our wonderful adoptable animals, and a movie.

All adults participating in movie nights are current volunteers or staff who have passed a background check. If your child needs accommodations that require an adult to stay with them during the event, please let us know before registering so that we can try to make the necessary adjustments. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

Three's Company

Most cats are not made to be solitary creatures.

When I first moved to Oregon, my cat Hamlet suddenly found himself the only cat in the apartment and he quickly realized he hated it. The moment I got home from work, he stuck to me like glue and cried if I wasn't in eyesight. I decided he needed a playmate and went to SafeHaven to adopt a kitten, thinking a young cat would be easiest for him to adapt to.

I went to look at a certain kitten I saw on the website that I thought looked the cutest. As I opened the door to the kitten room, this tiny ball of black and white fluff ran at me meowing, insisting I pick her up that very moment. This was not the kitten I intended to adopt, but it is the one I went home with. Sometimes you pick your pets but, more often than not, they pick you.

The new kitten, dubbed Socks for her white paws, was a great addition. An excellent playmate for Hamlet, they quickly became inseparable.

Then COVID happened and, like so many others, I decided I needed another pet. I met one kitten at SafeHaven, but we didn't quite click. I kept looking and

waiting for the perfect cat to come along. In May of 2021, I adopted Cinder who would turn out to be a fluffball and the least graceful cat I have ever seen. She has fallen off every climbable surface: bed, couch, fridge, etc. But she always lands on her feet. Getting the other two cats to accept her was a much longer adjustment than when I brought Socks home, but Cinder is resilient and she wouldn't stop trying to cuddle and play with the other cats until they begrudgingly gave in.

Three cats seems like a lot, and it can be, but these three have formed a close bond and just as I cannot imagine life without them, they can't seem to imagine life without each other!

Holiday Happy Tails

DOUG

Doug was found in a rural area of Madras, OR. We don't know anything about his past, but it was clear he had been on his own for a while. His hair was matted and dirty, but it was after he was cleaned up his finders noticed that he needed more extensive care than anticipated. Someone must have put a plastic collar-like band on him when he was a puppy. As he grew, the band was never removed, so it embedded into his skin for years. Surgery had to be performed to remove the foreign object from around Doug's neck. He was then transported to SafeHaven in July. Even through all the mishaps he has conquered along the way, Doug is such a sweet, sometimes shy boy. We're happy to report that Doug found his special someone in November and will be spending the holidays with his new family!

BELLA

We have had two wonderful cats for 12 years. Both were rescue cats with Peppy being 3 months and Lucy was 6 months at time of adoption. We lost Lucy on November 12 after a prolonged illness in addition to her diabetes. Sadly, we decided to let her cross the rainbow bridge when we reached the point we felt that was in her best interest. It was very difficult to watch Peppy wander the house and look for "sissy". He was off his food, sleep and play - clearly this was as traumatic for him as for us.

While we knew we would have another cat join our household at some point, we never dreamed we would adopt less than a week later. We decided to go to SafeHaven to look at kittens and cats just to get a feel for how it would be in the future. Well, as with so many people, we found the facility to be clean and caring and fell hard for a little six month old girl named Tess. We brought Tess home that very day! Renamed her Bella and began the gradual process of introducing her to Peppy. Within three days these two cats were napping together, chasing each other around the house and just having lots of fun. My husband commented it seems to have given Peppy a new spark and will probably add years to his life because of the exercise! We will never, ever forget our dear girl Lucy - she was so special and gentle. She wrapped herself around our hearts and added so much to our lives and was best buddies to Peppy. While we miss her and always will, we also know there is an abundance of love to share with this new member of our family.

THAT'S A WRAP!

That's a wrap on our third virtual RESCUE ROUNDUP FROM THE HOMESTEAD! Relying on this event as our largest fundraiser each year, we chose to move forward with yet another online auction and, of course, we knew we would miss seeing all of you in person. But similiar to last year, you SHOWED UP! Many people also took a moment to 'Paws for the Cause' to make a donation and we're happy to report that you truly came to our rescue. This year, you helped us raise $318,775 (which includes a $150,000 match from a generous donor) to support the care of our homeless pets and the continuation of many needed programs!

While we missed seeing everyone, we hope you enjoyed bidding in the comfort of your home. So...y'all come back now, ya hear? We hope to see YOU at the 2023 Rescue Roundup!

Thank you supporting sponsors

We are always looking to work with more businesses as sponsors in our fundraising events each year. If you are interested in becoming an event sponsor or becoming involved with supporting SafeHaven, please email us at marketing@safehavenhumane.com.

AND THE WINNER IS...

Our annual Christmas Tree Raffle is a wrap and we’re happy to report that we sold 182 of the 200 tickets available and raised $9,100 for the animals!

Special thanks and recognition to Rebecca Swanson for generously sponsoring this incredible fundraising opportunity EIGHT years in a row. We are also grateful to Toland Tree Farm for donating a beautiful tree and to the Expressions in Bloom team for offering to professionally decorate this gorgeous tree!

Our lucky winners of the $500.00 Visa gift card and the professionally decorated tree are Jack and Marilyn Platt of Independence.

Holidays at SafeHaven

GIVING TREES

Each year, SafeHaven works with many businesses in our community to host Giving Trees that ultimately bring in much needed items to the animals. As you can see in the photo to the left, these trees all have ornaments with a photo of one of our shelter animals and items on our Wish List. You can currently find a Giving Tree at our shelter, both SafeHaven Gift & Thrift stores, Albany Acupuncture, Cascade Ridge Apartments in Lebanon, Coldwell Banker North Albany, Heritage Mall, J & J Lighting, Wilco in Lebanon, Luminous Salon, Meadowlark Senior Living Lebanon, Spoleto’s Pizzeria and Wine, Sully’s Stay and Play and participating schools, Albany Christian School and Holley Elementary School.

If you see one of these trees and wish to participate, select your ornament and simply return gifts and ornaments to SafeHaven Humane Society or place under the Giving Tree. Thank you for making this season bright for the animals!

Development

THE GIFT OF THE SEASON

Did you know? You can make a gift in honor of a loved one this holiday season by making a donation through our website or at our shelter. Making a gift to SafeHaven is a great way to honor or remember the animal lover in your life. After you make your gift, a personalized holiday card will be sent to their home or a location of your choosing notifying them of your contribution.

1. Stop by the shelter and make your donation at our front desk and be sure to ask them about our 'Honor A Loved One Holiday Program'. They will ask you for the recipient's information and a card will be sent.

2. Simply head over to our website and click DONATE in the top left corner. Make sure to check the box marked 'I would like to dedicate this donation.' This will ask you for names and the address where you would like the card sent.

For a holiday card to be sent before Christmas, tributes will need to be made on or before Monday, December 19th.

SPARKLE

Sparkle’s journey with SafeHaven began all the way back in May. She came to us with 11 other kittens after their owner was no longer able to care for them. We quickly realized all of the kittens had ringworm, a highly contagious but treatable fungal infection. Ringworm cases have strict isolation requirements and can take months to treat, requiring regular lime sulfur dips and oral medications. Many of these kittens were in poor health upon arrival and also came down with upper respiratory infections, which meant we had to interrupt their weekly lime dip schedules and led to an overall delay in their ringworm finally being cleared up.

Sparkle and the other kittens were diagnosed during the prime socialization period in their lives. The dedicated staff taking care of these cats worked hard to ensure they got as much socialization and interaction as possible with humans. And all of the kittens have become extremely sweet and social babies now!

What is Giving Tuesday? Giving Tuesday refers to the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It is a movement fueled by community and kindness to create an international day of charitable giving at the beginning of the Christmas and holiday season. To celebrate Giving Tuesday this year, SafeHaven shared with the community some of the stories that warm our hearts and make every effort worthwhile. On social media and through emails, we told you about Sarabi (pictured right) and Sparkle (featured below)

This year, we also had a generous and anonymous match of $10,000! On Giving Tuesday this year, YOU helped raise $13,400! Upon hearing this, our anonymous matching donor matched each additional dollar as well, resulting in a total of $26,800 for the animals at SafeHaven. This is the most you have ever helped us raise on a Giving Tuesday and we were smiling ear to ear!

Giving Tuesday Recap

After being in our care for over 5 months, Sparkle was finally adopted into her forever home by one of her caretakers! Sparkle’s new family says, “It’s always very difficult being such a cat lover to see our kitties in isolation. I just wanted to let them out and give them all love. Sparkle was different though, in isolation she was a little fearful and scared, understandably so. She only really ever knew the walls of the kennel she was placed in. We aren’t supposed to have favorites, but let’s just say I was very smitten with little Sparkle! We would give them as much love as possible while still maintaining proper ISO protocol. When Sparkle was released from ringworm isolation she stayed in our care in the medical center for further monitoring. Seeing her open up and be so excited for the world amazed me. After everything she had been through, she was still so welcoming. After being released, she would non-stop give hugs to all of our medical staff (we like to say it was her way of thanking us). I asked if I could take her home

for the weekend as a foster so she could see what it was like being in a home environment. About an hour after taking her home, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to let her go! Watching her realize she was going to have a whole house as her play space amazed me! You can tell she appreciates each and every moment she has with humans. We have since renamed her Penelope, “P” for short. She loves the outdoors, so we are harness training her and she loves every part of it. Her socialization is a slow process due to everything always being so new but we are here every step of the way for her. We couldn’t have made a better decision by adopting her. I just couldn’t let her go!”

2022 has been an especially busy year looking after cats and kittens. So far, we’ve taken in over 1,137 cats and kittens from our local community and given them a second chance at a loving home, just like Sparkle has.

Community

THANK YOU OSU PUBLIC SAFETY

We would like to give a huge thank you to Cedar and all of his friends at Oregon State University - Public Safety! Cedar is the resident wellness dog and lives on-site to provide comfort and support to public safety employees as well as many students and staff around campus. He recently had a birthday and decided to collect items to donate to local shelters. Cedar had his friends drop off so many goodies for our shelter dogs. Thank you Cedar for all you do for the community!

SANTA PAWS

If you have been supporting SafeHaven through the years, you may have attended Santa Paws, a fundraiser that gives families the option to get their holiday photos done with their pets while making a difference in the lives of shelter animals.

This year, Santa Paws was offered for two days, one at SafeHaven and one back to Coastal Farm and Ranch, where the event was previously held for many years. Some families have been attending Santa Paws for over 10 years! We photographed 58 families/groups and as always, oohed and ahhed over every single one. We want to give a special shout out to Peggy Krause, longtime volunteer and photographer who captured all these special moments. Learn more about Charlotte, pictured, below.

"Howdy, my name is Charlotte and I came all the way from the big state of Texas to find my forever home. If you come to SafeHaven to visit me, I may seem stand-of-ish, but really I'm a big sweetheart. I tend to fit in with my southern belles quicker than the fellas. Ya'll, food is my love language. Take me outside, give me a treat and I will LOVE you until the cows come home! Being at the shelter is new for me, so I'm a bit nervous and get loud when other dogs walk by my space. I reckon I like other dogs, but I'll need to slowly meet them first. If you are looking for a sweet, smart, loyal cowgirl in your life, stop by and meet me today!"

WINTER CAMPS ARE BACK!

SafeHaven’s Winter Animal Adventure Camps are back and we are excited! This year we are pleased to offer two separate opportunities for kids to visit the shelter for a day of fun, friends, and fur. Camps will be full of crafts and activities that center around the animal welfare world. Each day will also include valuable socialization time spent with our adoptable animals. Camps run from 9am-4pm, and pre-registration is required. Campers will also need to bring a lunch. Snack will be provided. If you would like more details, want to reserve a space, or have any questions, please contact Katie B. at HumaneEd@safehavenhumane.com or call 541-928-2789. Camps are $60 per day per child. Let’s get this party started!

DECEMBER 21ST: For kids Kindergarten through 5th grade. The day will be filled with adorable animals, fun games, enjoyable crafts, and exciting activities!

DECEMBER 30TH: For kids 2nd though 6th grade. The day will be filled with adorable animals, fun games, enjoyable crafts, and exciting activities!

Please note that registration fees are nonrefundable. Unused registration fees may be applied to other humane education programs during the same calendar year or be considered a donation. To be considered unused, you must notify SafeHaven that you cannot attend at least 10 days before the event, so we have time to reopen your space(s).

NON-RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS

SafeHaven volunteers come from all walks of life, but did you know that they also come from all over the Northwest? We're lucky to call several out-of-state friends, volunteers as much as the volunteers who come in to work with us in the shelter and thrift stores. Meet just a few:

Mikey Sedlock and Peggy Kowal have been friends for 30 years from the days Peggy and Fred lived in Klamath Falls. In 2003, the Kowals moved to Albany.

On the way to the coast, Mikey would always stop for a visit. Mikey and Peggy are animal lovers, with a fondness for cats. Peggy started volunteering at SafeHaven in 2018 and told Mikey of all the wonderful cats they took in. Mikey has two cats, Ollie who was older and Gracie was a year and a half. Mikey wanted a companion for Gracie and one closer to her age. In November 2019, she saw Taylor on the website so, on a trip to the coast, Peggy took Mikey to SafeHaven to meet Taylor. It was love at first sight. She put her on hold and on their way home, stopped to finalize the adoption. Taylor is now Fiona. She and Gracie bonded right away.

Knowing it would work out, they brought their carrier with them, but Mikey got to thinking about the kitties that go home in the cardboard carriers provided by SafeHaven. She thought they should have a nice soft

blankie at the bottom. So her journey began. Mikey began making and donating blankets to go home with adopted cats and kittens that fit in the temporary crates. At night while watching TV, she crochets around the edges with colorful yarn. Mikey told us she is happy that the crocheting has helped the arthritis in her fingers (another plus)! To date, she has made approximately 1,000 blankies and we are so grateful!

Mikey believes in SafeHaven’s mission and wants to help even more, so she generously sponsors two cats a month and is a member of the Inner Circle, a monthly giving program that benefits the animals at SafeHaven. Her dog owner daughter, Jenn, sponsors one kitty a month as well. If Mikey lived closer, she’d be right out there volunteering in person.

Stella Kowal, also a cat lover, is Peggy’s sister-in-law. Stella lives in Sequim, WA and also wanted to know how she could help SafeHaven. She is a sewer and offered to make some laundry bags for the dog floor laundry to hold the leashes, collars and tennis balls. She makes them out of denim so they are nice and sturdy. She says it’s not much. Oh, Stella, you have no idea what a help it is!

MAKE THE HOLIDAYS SAFER FOR YOUR PETS

Winter holidays can be a joyous time for humans, yet a dangerous time for our four-legged family members. The curious nature of cats, plus a dog’s strong sense of smell, causes both animals to get into holiday decorations, food, and drinks that could lead them to wind up in a veterinary clinic. Be sure to take some extra pet-proofing measures this year to keep your best friend happy and safe all holiday season.

HOLIDAY GUESTS

Ringing doorbells, increased activity, and visitors during the holiday season can be stressful and upsetting to a pet’s routine. Be sure to make sure there is a safe space for your pet to escape to when your home is busy. Include in the space their food, water, and litter box in the room, too. If your pet is overly stressed by holiday visitors, consult with your family veterinarian about possible solutions. And make certain your pet has proper identification. A microchip and tags on their collar can help quickly identify your pet should they ever be separated from you.

CHRISTMAS TREE ORNAMENTS

Curious pets are often attracted to ornaments hanging from the Christmas tree. Treasured ornaments should be hung high up on the Christmas tree so they are out of the reach of curious cats and rambunctious dogs. Wooden, metal, resin-cast or other durable ornaments should be used on the lower branches. Or, for your pet’s safety, avoid placing any ornaments on the lower branches of the Christmas tree.

HOLIDAY FOOD DANGERS

Skip the Sweets. By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, grapes, etc. Fatty, spicy and no-no human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. SafeHaven's retail store and Gift & Thrift stores are perfect for finding stocking stuffers for your pet and helps support the animals still waiting for homes for the holidays.

BENTLEY'S TOY DRIVE

December 7th was a big day for a little dog named Bentley. It was his 17th birthday! Many of you may know Bentley, as he is the “top dog” behind Bentley’s Coffee. In honor of his very special birthday, the generous Bentley’s Coffee team decided that they wanted to make a difference in the lives of homeless pets. Bentley has all the toys he could possibly need, but they know not all animals are as lucky. So, on December 7th, anyone who brought a new dog toy to one of the Bentley’s Coffee locations received any drink of their choice for free! Last year, 458 toys were donated to local animal shelters. This year, they even topped that number! The donations were split between SafeHaven Humane Society and Oregon Humane Society and on December 9th, Bentley’s friends dropped off several hundred brand new toys for our dogs to enjoy. This was such a special treat and we let every dog pick out whichever toy they were most interested in. Thank you Bentley and team for spoiling our animals this holiday season!

HOLIDAYS ON A BUDGET

We all know that the holidays can be a stressful (and expensive) time of the year for many people, but we have the solution! Need some new Christmas decorations? We’ve got them! Need an outfit for that holiday party? We have so many to choose from! Need gift ideas for that one family member that is hard to shop for? We definitely have something they’ll enjoy! SafeHaven has two Gift & Thrift locations with so much to choose from, it’s sure to make your holidays easy and affordable!

Check out some of the holiday items we have in our stores right now! And as an added bonus, you can tell the recipient of your gift or the visitors to your house that you shopped at SafeHaven Gift and Thrift and helped contribute to saving thousands of homeless and

TER SEASO

All of these items were found at the SafeHaven Gift & Thrift stores!

SafeHaven Humane Society

32220 Old Hwy 34

Tangent OR 97389

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