Welcome to our seventh quarterly newsletter! We're excited to ring in the 2023 new year with our wonderful and supportive community. The last quarter of 2022 brought us a generous Season of Giving, bountiful donations, and several happy tails as a result. Keep reading below to learn more about our exciting end-of-year news and festivities. 

October 2022

Opening our Doors Again (Finally!)

After nearly two years of fluctuating hours and an appointment-only schedule, our staff was thrilled to open our doors to the public again. HSoP transitioned to a hybrid schedule at the beginning of October, where two days each week were still appointment-only. This was intended to help our staff and pets comfortably adjust to having unexpected visitors again. This hybrid schedule did just the trick, and HSoP is now open Monday through Saturday from 1:00-6:00pm!

Having visitors in the facility again has been wonderful for our pets and staff alike. Our adoptable pets have had the chance to make plenty of friends before adoption, and our staff has loved being able to see the immediate connection that some adopters feel when meeting their match. Reopening has been great for helping our pets find homes. After opening our doors for walk-in visits, we processed 11 adoptions in just two days! We are ecstatic to see how quickly our pets are finding homes, and are excited to see even more adoptions soon! If you have been looking to add a furry companion into your life, please consider dropping by the shelter to meet our available pets. Our doors are open Monday through Saturday from 1:00-6:00pm, and adoptions are processed until 5:30pm. Come on by and see if we have a match for you!

Wine Raffle Fundraiser

As a nonprofit organization, we're always looking for opportunities to raise funds for the pets we serve. Back in October, we were given the opportunity to host a raffle fundraiser thanks to a combination of several generous donations. First, Dutton-Goldfield winery in Russian River Valley, California donated a magnum of 2016 Docker Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, valued at around $160. Next, our friends at Colter's Creek here in Moscow donated a magnum of 2011 Syrah from their personal wine library to support the cause. Finally, our generous board president decided to donate four Colter's Creek and Dutton-Goldfield wine bottles from her personal collection, along with several brand-new glasses to fill out the prizes. After gathering all of the prize items, we began selling raffle tickets. Tickets were sold for $2 each, or 3 for $5. In just two weeks, the wine raffle had generated more than $1,400 for HSoP! We are incredibly grateful to see the success of this fundraiser and are thrilled for the four winners who get to enjoy the prizes. Thank you to Dutton-Goldfield, Colter's Creek, and our outstanding Board of Directors for making this raffle fundraiser possible. It truly would not have happened without you! 

One Year of Trap-Neuter-Return

On October 1st of last year, we introduced our new Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program. Free-roaming cats are the biggest source of homeless kittens in our area, and HSoP takes in many of these homeless babies each year. The TNR Program aims to prevent unwanted cat births, reduce the feline infectious diseases in our area, and lower the number of unowned, homeless pets in our county. Through the program, HSoP will assist Latah County residents with the spay/neuter, vaccination, and ear-tipping of the feral cats on their property. In its first year of operation, we were able to distribute more than 120 TNR coupons to Latah County residents! We have been so happy to see the success of this program and are excited to continue providing this resource for our community. Pet overpopulation is an issue that we continue to face across the country, but the TNR program is one way that we can help remedy the situation here in our area. For more information about the TNR Program, please visit our website.

Argos Found his Forever Home!

When pets become available for adoption at HSoP, they can sometimes wait weeks, or even months, to meet the right person. This is the story of Argos; an Australian kelpie mix who patiently waited 10 months before finding the forever home of his dreams.

Argos arrived to HSoP after nipping a family friend in October of 2021. This was a documented bite, which meant that Argos now had an official bite history. After being impounded, we held Argos on a 10-day bite quarantine to ensure he did not have rabies. Once this quarantine period came to an end, his family decided to relinquish care to HSoP. This began Argos' long journey to adoption. Upon intake, it was clear that Argos was in distress. He was fearful of our shelter staff, and it took several days before he would relax and begin to build trust in us. Stranger danger and barrier reactivity were big hurdles for Argos, so he was kept in the employee-only area of our dog kennels as a "hidden gem" to reduce the stress this brought him.

Given Argos' bite history, we were as transparent as possible when speaking with potential adopters. If anyone was interested in Argos, we made sure to explain his situation in-full before introducing them.

Argos was the type of dog who approached people with caution and took his time building trusting relationships. When meeting a potential adopter, Argos would take a walk with shelter staff and avoid making contact with the interested party. This helped him get used to a person's smell, demeanor, and overall presence before getting to know them through pets and play. Despite his reluctance to trust strangers, Argos did show a strong preference for women. After a few months of working with our shelter staff, Argos met a potential adopter who loved him with all of his difficulties. After a few meetings with this adopter, Argos was able to go home.

Unfortunately, this was not the right match for Argos. He was brought back to HSoP after showing aggressive behavior and lunging toward his male adopter in the home.

Several more months went by, and Argos met a few potential adopters who decided not to take him home. In the kennel next to Argos was a sweet, shy, and incredibly timid dog named Nugget. She's typically very nervous and prefers to spend her days wrapped up in a snuggly blanket. After seeing Argos walk by her kennel for so long, Nugget actually showed interest in Argos by walking up to the front of her gate! This was a huge step for Nugget, so we began a slow introduction to see how they would do with one another. The results were amazing!

Nugget and Argos became fast friends, and he was great at helping her build confidence to come out of her shell. We could tell that this relationship was good for both of them, and it showed that Argos could be neutral around other dogs. The duo started having supervised play time once per week and seemed so happy whenever they were together!

Just a few months later, an adopter arrived at HSoP and asked to meet Argos specifically. They started with his typical walking-introduction and agreed to come back multiple times to help build his trust. A few more meetings went by, and Argos appeared happy and comfortable with his new friends. It was finally time for him to go home! Argos was adopted on October 7th of this year, and our staff truly could not be happier for him. His family has sent us updates about how he's been adjusting, and it's clear that this is the home he was waiting for! Argos is still thriving in his new home and enjoys being showered in love by his humans.

Argos' journey to adoption was long and filled with plenty of challenges for staff, adopters, and Argos alike. It may have taken a while to reach his happily ever after, but we are so thrilled that Argos and his family found each other. Take a look at some adorable pictures of Argos down below, along with a video of him loving life in his new home!

November 2022

Our Dog Kennels Had a Facelift!

At HSoP, we have 20 indoor dog kennels that house all of the pups we care for. Our dog kennels have remained mostly the same since they were completed in 1994. With so much wear and tear, it was definitely past time for our kennels to have an upgrade! In June of last year, we were able to have our dog kennel floors professionally cleaned and painted with the help of our friends at Superior Painting & Specialty Coatings. This new flooring filled all of the holes, cracks, and crevices in the old concrete flooring, which made cleaning and sanitization much easier for shelter staff. After seeing how beautiful the floors looked, our eyes and attention moved to the kennel walls. They were also in dire need of a paint job! In November of this year, the folks at Superior Painting & Specialty Coatings came back to help liven up our walls. The result is a bright, beautiful, and clean area for our dogs to rest and relax in. We couldn't be happier with the outcome! Thank you so much to Superior Painting & Specialty Coatings, and to all of our supporters who made this upgrade possible. Take a look at some before and after pictures below!

Cat Video Fest

Have you ever seen a video of a cat that made you laugh uncontrollably? Well, you're not alone! If you have a cat, or have spent much time on the internet, then you know that cats can do some hilarious things. That's why we get so excited when the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center announces Cat Video Fest each year! Cat Video Fest is exactly what is sounds like. It's a compilation of the latest, best, and most hilarious cat videos that the world has to offer. The compilation is family friendly, and sure to get a laugh out of anyone who attends. If that wasn't exciting enough, Cat Video Fest also benefits local animal shelters! The compilation was shown in over 200 theaters nationwide and raised $50,000 for local pets in need in 2019. Our friends at the Kenworthy chose to raise funds for HSoP by donating 20% of all tickets sales to our organization. With the help of our supportive community members, Kenworthy Performing Arts Center was able to donate more than $100 to support pets in need at HSoP. Thank you so much to everyone who attended! We're already excited for next year.

Chitterbug's New Life

In July of this year, a sweet lab mix named Chitterbug arrived at HSoP in search of a new home. Her owner had unfortunately passed away, and there was no family in the area who could take her in. Despite her sad situation, Chitterbug made fast friends with shelter staff and was always excited to meet new visitors and volunteers. She was about 7 years old, and aside from the potential need for joint supplements, was a completely healthy girl who loved to play and get belly rubs. She had a smile that was out of this world! Even with her lovable personality and clean bill of health, it took Chitterbug a few months of waiting before the right person came along. In early November, Chitterbug met her new best friend. She went home with her person on November 4th and is now living a comfy life filled with love and afternoon naps. We couldn't be happier for Chitterbug and her new family!

#GivingTuesday

Since 2012, the Tuesday following Thanksgiving has been reserved for #GivingTuesday. This international movement is meant to inspire radical generosity in communities big and small across the world. The main idea encourages people to get out and give to the causes that matter most to them. Giving can take form as financial contributions, donations of supplies, and even time spent volunteering! Giving Tuesday 2022 took place on November 29th, and we are so grateful for the support shown by our community. This Giving Tuesday, our supporters donated $1,422.35 to continue our mission of providing food, shelter, vaccines, and medical care to homeless pets in Latah County. Thank you so much to everyone who decided to make a donation toward our cause this Giving Tuesday. We appreciate your support more than we can say!

We would also like to give a huge thank you and round of applause to our good friend and supporter, Nate Sletteland. The day after Giving Tuesday, Nate and his wife, Marianne, stopped by HSoP and presented our staff with a $1,250 donation! For the third year in a row, Nate went out of his way to organize a raffle of Magic: The Gathering cards to raise money for the pets we serve. Nate's donation will provide second chances for pets in need through our Merlin Fund for lifesaving medical care, has paid the adoption fees for several of our adoptable pets, and will support our general operation expenses. We are incredibly grateful for Nate, Marianne, and their circle of friends who helped make this donation possible. Thank you for continuing to support our mission!

December 2022

Pet Pictures with Santa

With December comes music, snow, Christmas lights, and our most festive fundraiser of the year: Pet Pictures with Santa! On December 2nd and 3rd, Santa Claus himself came to meet all of the pets who made his nice list at Pets Are People Too in Moscow. For a donation of $15, owners received two digital photos of their pet with Mr. Claus. We were extra excited to host this year's event, since we had some much-needed upgrades to try out! Our shelter purchased a digital camera last year, and we were thrilled to make use of it during the fundraiser. Looking at last year's photos, we were determined to make Pet Pictures with Santa even more special this time around. We purchased a gorgeous Christmas backdrop to use, and it worked out perfectly! The backdrop acted as the perfect scene for all of the pets who attended. In total, we had 97 families stop by to meet Mr. Claus. This event not only sparked holiday joy, but also raised $1,890 for HSoP and the pets we serve! This event wouldn't have been possible without our partners at Pets Are People Too, who generously allowed us to use the space in their store. We would also like to thank Mr. Claus and his helpers for taking time out of their busy schedules to help raise funds for homeless pets. Thank you to everyone who brought their furry friends in for some adorable pictures!

Pet Pictures with Santa signaled the end of our 2022 fundraisers, and we look forward to seeing you during all our events in 2023! Our first fundraising event will be the annual Soup and Pie Luncheon, which is set to take place on Monday, February 27th at the 1912 Center Great Room. Keep an eye out for more information as we get closer to the event!

UI Student Campaign for HSoP

In August of this year, we were contacted by an instructor at UI who was looking to partner with local nonprofits for an upcoming course. The class, a capstone course for public relations and advertising majors, centered around one semester-long mock campaign. We love getting to work with Vandals, so we jumped at the opportunity! We asked the students to focus their campaign on our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP), while spreading awareness about spaying/neutering in general. The students spent several months conducting research, crafting a plan and budget, and creating materials to use during the campaign. By the beginning of December, the students were done with the campaign and ready to present their ideas. After watching the presentation, we were blown away by their work! The students understood our situation clearly, and built a thoughtful campaign that we look forward to using in the future. They also gave us some great ideas of how to improve SNAP and make it more accessible for those who need it. Thank you so much to Paige, Rachel, Hannah, Hallie, and Elizabeth for all of your hard work!

AGMP

In 2009, a small group of Latah County locals were looking to promote charitable giving across the Palouse region. With this common goal in mind, Alternative Giving Market of the Palouse (AGMP) was founded. The concept of AGMP is simple: offer residents an alternative to regular gift-giving practices around the holidays. In this case, residents have the alternative to 'shop' local nonprofits and then make contributions to those they feel most drawn to. Now in its 15th year, AGMP is well-loved and more alive than ever before. AGMP featured 32 local nonprofits this year, including HSoP. In total, AGMP facilitated $50,250 in donations for Latah County nonprofits. Of this amount, $3,700 was raised for the animals at HSoP. With the help of our generous community members, AGMP continues to make a difference in every corner of Latah County. Thank you to everyone who contributed and helped make AGMP 2022 a success!

HSoP Year in Review

As 2022 comes to a close, we're excited to look back on a year of second chances and happy tails for hundreds of pets throughout Latah County. HSoP took in 252 dogs and 171 cats this year. Of these furry friends,198 were returned to their owners and 223 found loving forever homes! We are also thrilled to see our community taking full advantage of the programs we offer. In 2022, our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) provided assistance for 27 owned pets to be fixed, and our Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program helped 68 feral cats be fixed, vaccinated, and ear-tipped for identification. Speaking of identification, we love seeing up-to-date pet ID! In 2022, we helped 52 owned pets receive microchips, and 64 owned pets get new engraved name tags. Our Pet Supply Pantry, which operates on donations from the public, provided assistance for 1,600 owned pets in Moscow and Latah County. We are so happy to see our community taking advantage of the programs and services we offer! If you're interested to learn more about what HSoP accomplished this year, be sure to read through our 2022 Annual Report.

Thank you to each and every person who supported our mission this year! Every dollar, toy, blanket, and container of food makes a difference for pets in need. We would also like to thank all of the 216 incredible volunteers who dedicated 1,106 hours to making the pets in our care feel the love they deserve. Our work truly would not be possible without you.

Thank you for making 2022 a year to remember! We can't wait to see what 2023 has in store.

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