When you think of the Seattle Animal Shelter, you may not realize what an encompassing role the shelter and its programs play in the lives of so many of Seattle’s animals, both inside and outside the shelter. Community support through outreach and engagement improves animals lives in many ways, including allowing animals to stay safely and happily in their homes, and stay out of the animal shelter.
The Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation (SASF), through its grants to the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS), provides substantial funding enabling expanded community programs. In 2022, SASF granted $20,000 for owned animal support and an additional $10,000 for outreach and engagement.
Some examples of how those critical SASF provided funds were put to good use include:
• Over $4,500 of pet-saving supplies for SAS field officers to distribute in the field. Officers make regularly scheduled outreach efforts in targeted areas of need. Items distributed include pet food, dog leashes, pet crates, rainproof dog houses, warm windproof dog fleece coats, waterproof dog jackets, and other general supplies.
• Rental of the on-site shipping container for secure storage and twice-weekly open hours distribution of the SAS Pet Food Bank pet food to owners who cannot afford to purchase pet food on their own.
• Subsidizing animal licenses for pet owners in need, enabling them to redeem their pet from the animal shelter, or lawfully keep their pet.
• Over $5,000 to stock the SAS Pet Food Bank with pet food and other essential pet supplies, which are distributed at no-cost to the neediest families with pets. In 2022 SAS distributed over 6,760 lbs. of dry food, over 1,030 lbs. of litter and over 2,350 cans of wet food to pet owners in need. The below figures show an overall increase of just over 25% in the number of households served as compared with 2021. In 2022 SAS was able to help more than twice as many cats and just over 30% more dogs with this valuable support.
The above-mentioned are just some of the programs this SASF grant funds, allowing SAS to establish connections with pet owners and promote positive affiliations with SAS. As the shelter and the animal welfare in general adjusts focus to be more proactive in the community, these programs enable SAS to provide the education, resources, and advocacy to keep pets with their families and out of the shelters.
Whether it is directly supporting the animals, helping to establish relationships as noted above, or ensuring that SAS staff are receiving the training and support they need to best do their jobs, the Seattle Animal Shelter Foundation’s grants touch almost every facet of the Seattle Animal Shelter’s work, enhancing and complementing Seattle city-funded programs and services, improving the lives of Seattle’s pets and the people that care for them.