Read about what's been happening at HSoP!

Welcome to our first quarterly newsletter! Here, you'll find a summary of everything that's gone on at HSoP in the last few months. From fundraisers, to events, to stories about some of our most special animals, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at a few of the most important happenings at our shelter.

April 2021

April turned out to be quite the busy month for HSoP. Here are some of our highlights: 

New Staff

At the beginning of March, HSoP set out to hire a Public Relations Manager. The purpose of this role is to fundraise, organize events, communicate with the public, and maintain strong relationships within the Latah County community. After evaluating several candidates for the position, HSoP welcomed Lauren Green to the team! She's been working at the shelter since mid April and has already focused on a few projects (including this newsletter!) to keep the community engaged. If you want to learn more about the staff members at HSoP, visit the staff page on our website! Keep watching our Facebook, Instagram, and website to stay up to date on what's new and upcoming at the shelter. 

April Microchip Special

We love microchips! They give owners peace of mind and help bring our furry friends home if they get lost. All of the animals we adopt out of our shelter come microchipped, but everyone should have access to this great tool! To promote microchips for all companion animals, we offered our regular microchips for 50% off during the entire month of April. In this month, we were able to microchip 14 cats and dogs! Now the owners of these animals can be at ease knowing their best friend will always be able to come home if they get lost. Our next 50% off microchip special runs from late June to the end of July. Be sure to call and schedule your appointment! 

Idaho Gives

Every year, Idaho nonprofits are given a spotlight during the week-long giving event Idaho Gives. This year, 618 nonprofit organizations participated, including HSoP! This year, we set a goal to raise $3,000 in donations during the event. Thanks to our amazing and supportive community, we managed to finish the week with $3,900 in donations! This type of generosity is what keeps our doors open for all the homeless animals that need us. From everyone here at HSoP (including our furry friends), thank you for making Idaho Gives another success this year. 

Walmart Foundation Grant

During the month of April, we heard some very exciting news! HSoP was selected to receive a $1,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation through Walmart Giving! These funds went directly toward our Merlin Fund, which is used to cover the cost of life-saving emergency medical procedures for the homeless pets in our care. This fund gives homeless pets in dire situations a second chance at life. These second chances are only possible with the help of our generous donors. A huge thanks goes out to Moscow's Walmart for continually supporting their local humane society! 

Pterodactyl's Litter

The unofficial beginning of kitten season has arrived at HSoP! On April 30th, our momma cat Pterodactyl delivered five happy and healthy little babies! Of the five, there are four males and one female. All four boys are orange tabbies, and the one girl is a gorgeous tortoiseshell! In their first few weeks, momma and babies are all doing well. Since these babies reached one week old, HSoP staff have been hosting weekly updates via Facebook Live, to our supporters what the growth process looks like for kittens this young. Below is a picture of these little cuties the day they were born! By now, all of the kittens in Pterry's litter are grown and available for adoption. Visit our Facebook Live videos to watch these cuties grow up! 

May 2021

May was an exciting month at HSoP, and just as busy as April. Here's some highlights:

Kitten Season Sponsorships

Kitten season is an equally wonderful and stressful time at the shelter. Kittens, the little balls of love that they are, demand a whole bunch of time and resources. Usually we host a "kitten shower" to generate donated supplies for the 250 kittens we expect to bring in. This year, we decided to offer kitten season sponsorship packages for our community members. The idea came from wanting to get people more involved in their contributions. The sponsorship packages come with small benefits, like receiving photos of kittens staying in your sponsored cage. The sponsorships last and are available until August 31st, but donors are always more than welcome to donate supplies if they desire. Since launching this program, our sponsors have been very happy! The hands-on approach allows them to better witness the care they help us to provide. 

Mango's Merlin Fund Story

Warning: Mango's face may just melt your heart. In late April, Mango and three other strays came to our shelter. It was immediately clear to us that Mango had some sort of issue or irritation with his eyes. They appeared swollen and goopy, but Mango didn't seem too bothered. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that Mango needed corrective surgery for entropion in both eyes. Entropion is a condition where the eyelid folds inward and causes irritation, discomfort, and altered vision. Mango's medical care came out to about $500, which our community funded in less than a day! Since his surgery, Mango has seemed happier and much more comfortable. His personality is already shining through more than it did before! Our Merlin Fund is dedicated to providing seconds chances for animals like Mango who come to us requiring lifesaving medical care.

So Many Strays!

Late April and early May was a hectic time for strays coming into the shelter. HSoP has a total of 20 dog kennels in our facility, but we reached 23 dogs in our care during this time! That is quite a bit. For the last five years, the record for dogs in our care has been 17, which was only caused by taking in 12 strays during the 4th of July. To put it lightly, HSoP has experienced a surge in stray dogs who either go unclaimed or have their owners relinquish care after being found. This puts us in a position where we are unable to rehome many of our animals for a variety of reasons: stray holding periods, unknown health records, the need for spay and neuter surgeries, injuries or illnesses, disputes over ownership, and much more depending on the circumstance. Housing so many animals who are unable to be adopted has been difficult on our shelter animals and staff alike. We hope that the amount of strays we see returns to normal figures soon. It is quite difficult to be over max canine capacity, especially during kitten season. 

Bottle Baby Kittens

With kitten season comes..... kittens! Usually, when a kitten is born, they stay by their mother's side for the first few weeks of life. This is the best and most natural way to ensure the baby is properly cared for. But what about kittens who don't have a mom that can feed and care for them? When these kittens arrive at our shelter, they become bottle babies. Bottle babies need constant round-the-clock care. A newborn kitten needs to be fed every two hours, warmed with a heated blanket, and stimulated to use the restroom. Our first bottle baby of the season arrived in mid May. Minnie Mouse was found in the wall of someone's home when she was just a few days old. Sierah, our shelter's director, took this bottle baby home (as she so often does) to raise her until she can survive on her own. The next week, a littler of feral kittens came in needing to be bottle fed as well. One of our animal care attendants, Megan, took this litter in and is now caring for six bottle babies total. There's sure to be plenty more in the next few months! 

June 2021

New Flooring

Our shelter has had the same concrete flooring since 1978. In the last 40+ years, it became cracked, bumpy, uneven, and porous. We clean the kennels between each resident, so being able to thoroughly sanitize the floor is important for both us and our animals' safety. This year, we finally gave our floors the facelift they have been needing. Starting in early June, we began the process of laying down polyurethane and epoxy coating throughout our facility. This type of floor coating is perfect for the needs of an animal shelter, as its smooth, durable, and easy to clean properly. The tricky part was having the coating applied in sections to ensure there was still kennel room for all of our animals. Thankfully, our dogs handled the transition with grace! See below for a before and after picture. We'd like to extend a huge thank you to Superior Painting & Specialty Coatings for this great work!

Tri-State Outfitters Anniversary Benefit

We are always so thankful when our community businesses decide to benefit our shelter! During the week of June 8th to 15th, Tri-State Outfitters celebrated its company anniversary. In honor of this, the store featured several sales and a special donation deal for our shelter. On Saturday, June 12th, HSoP received a $5 donation from Tri-State for every pair of shoes sold! Our community really showed up for the good deals and included donation. From this event, we received $455 in donations! We owe a huge thank you to Tri-State Outfitters for always being a great supporter of our organization. Thank you to everyone who showed up in support of HSoP and Tri-State! 

Moscow Food Co-op Dine in Time Program

One of the best things about operating out of Moscow is the amazing community that comes with it. At the end of June, we were informed that our shelter had been chosen as one of three recipients for the Moscow Food Co-op Dime in Time program! This program provides patrons a "10-cent token" for each reusable bag or cup they bring in store. These tokens can then be donated to one of the three available recipients. HSoP will benefit from this program between July and September, so be sure to bring along some reusable bags the next time you visit our local co-op!

Summer Pet Safety Reminders

The heat our region experienced this last week was unprecedented. It's safe to expect even more high temperatures as the summer continues on. With all of this crazy heat, its crucial that pet owners know how to keep their animals safe and comfortable. One thing to be extra observant about it water intake. Make sure you're offering an extra bowl or two of water for your pets to keep them hydrated. A great way to keep your animals safe overall is to keep them indoors! Asphalt can become unbearably hot for dogs, so try and play inside instead of going for a walk. To learn more ways to keep your furry friends cool this season, visit the ASPCA Hot Weather Safety Tips. 

We're (Finally) Reopening! 

We have been waiting for this day since we first closed our doors to the public back in March of 2020. Our community has made great strides in reducing case numbers and increasing the vaccination rate, and now we can safely welcome our supporters back inside! The safety of our animals is top priority, so we will gradually reopen to ensure they do not become overwhelmed by the sudden influx of visitors. Beginning Monday, July 5th, we will be open to the public for walk-in visits from 1:00-4:30 pm on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday schedule. We will still be available by appointment only on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This 1/2 open schedule will last a few weeks as our animals adjust to seeing, smelling, and hearing new people on a regular basis. Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates as we continue to reopen! Our furry friends will be so excited to see you! 

HSoP animals currently available for adoption:

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