Welcome to our twelfth quarterly newsletter! Here, you'll find a summary of everything that's happened at HSoP in the first few months of 2024. Between fundraisers, adoptions, special events, and stories about some of our most special animals, you'll get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what we do (and it's all because of you!).

January 2024

Heroes of HSoP Launch

On January 1st, Heroes of HSoP officially launched! This new donor recognition program aims to celebrate the impact of our individual donors, foster community among locals who care about pets in need, and encourage sustained support of HSoP for years to come. Heroes of HSoP provides exclusive perks and benefits to enrolled donors based on their annual contribution, which makes it easy to show your support for our cause! All donors are eligible to become Heroes of HSoP, but only those who opt-in to the program will receive included benefits. To learn more about Heroes of HSoP and register as a hero yourself, be sure to visit our website.

Ozzy's Pawsborne's Perfect Home

In early November, a very nervous stray dog was brought to HSoP. He was incredibly scared upon intake, and the loud, stressful environment of the dog kennels didn't help with the already confusing situation. It was clear that he was under-socialized, and it would take some time for him to grow out of that.

This poor pup waited through his whole stray holding period, but an original owner never came forward. He made great progress during his 10-day stray hold, and was already beginning to trust our staff! This sweet boy deserved a special name to signal the start of his new life. He looked to be some type of Australian Shepherd-pit bull mix, and one of our staff members had the perfect name for him - Ozzy Pawsborne! This is a name she had been holding onto for a while, but when Ozzy Pawsborne came into our care, it was obvious that he was the dog this name was waiting for.

Ozzy found himself making leaps and bounds with his connection to humans, just by spending time with them more often. He was popular among visitors and volunteers, and our regular dog walkers claimed he had excellent leash manners! Even though he carried some stranger danger during initial meetings, Ozzy quickly learned that people are his friends and it's okay to trust them. After a while, it seemed that Ozzy was even more content with a human friend by his side!

Ozzy was officially ready for adoption in early December. We knew it might take some time for the right person to come around, but good things often take time! Ozzy spent his afternoons playing with visitors and volunteers, working on his manners and socialization each day. It did take bit of time, but in late January, Ozzy Pawsborne's wait was over! Ozzy's adopter walked into the building on January 23rd, met Mr. Pawsborne, and decided to give him a comfy forever home.

Ozzy went home with his family that day, and the rest is history! There are no other pets in the home, so Ozzy gets all of the attention from his people - just how he likes it. We are so happy that he was able to grow confidence in himself and his human friends during his time at HSoP. He's a whole different dog today than when he came to the shelter back in November! Our entire staff adored Ozzy, and we're so happy to know he's being cared for with all the love and patience he deserves. Thank you to all of our volunteers who played such a crucial role in Ozzy's progress at the shelter!

Local watercolor artist Cheryll Root created a beautiful portrait of Ozzy while he was waiting for adoption. Take a look at her painting below, along with some more photos of this swell guy!

Our Pet Food & Supply Pantry Felt the Love!

One of the services that we're proud to offer our community is the Pet Food and Supply Pantry. It ensures that owned pets never have to go hungry, despite any hardships their owner may be experiencing. Our pantry is fueled entirely by donations from the community, and in 2023, the pantry distributed food to more than 2,300 owned pets in need throughout Latah County.

When we distribute food, it's often replaced by another donation within a few days. This wasn't the case when 2024 began, and by late January, our pantry had dwindled down to just a single bag of dog food. We put out a call on social media, asking our supporters to donate pet food for the pantry if they had the means to. Within just a few days, we were overwhelmed with support! Boxes of food were delivered daily, and we had several people stop by to drop off their own contributions. When we arrived at the shelter in the mornings, our donation bin was nearly overflowing with all varieties of pet food! To top things off, our friends at ICCU stopped by to donate an entire truck bed's worth of food. By the beginning of February, our pantry was nearly at capacity - which is a rare problem to have!

Since this immense show support from our community, the Pet Food and Supply Pantry has maintained a healthy stock of food. We continue to see donations come in regularly which fuel the program for those in need. THANK YOU to each and every person who has donated pet food to our pantry! Every bit of food makes a difference for the beloved companion animal who ends up enjoying it. Your donations ensure that all Latah County pets can go to go to sleep with full bellies!

If you're in need of pet food assistance, please visit HSoP between 1:00-6:00pm Monday through Saturday. You an also give us a call at (208) 883-1166 if you have questions!

Pets on Pizza Boxes with Pizza Perfection

We're always searching for new ways to get the word out about HSoP, our adoptable pets, and the programs we offer. There are countless ways to spread the word, but we tried something for the first time in January! After seeing other shelters across the country organize similar partnerships, we reached out to the nice folks at Pizza Perfection to ask for their help. Thankfully, Pizza Perfection was totally on board to help us advertise our adoptable pets! We created flyers featuring one of our longest staying adoptable dogs, along with a QR code to view other pets waiting for adoption. The flyers were delivered to the Moscow Pizza Perfection, and in less than a week, over 100 pizza boxes went out with the flyers! As luck would have it, the featured dog was adopted not longer after these flyers were distributed. We'll continue to provide flyers as time allows, so be sure to keep an eye out the next time you order some delicious pizza. Right now, they're featuring the beautiful and adoptable Kaya!

February 2024

Spay/Neuter Awareness Month

Throughout February, we often hear that "love is in the air". February also happens to be National Spay/Neuter Awareness Month! We love pets quite a bit at HSoP, which is why we feel so strongly about the need to have pets spayed and neutered. It’s the best way to limit pet overpopulation, and by extension, pet homelessness. Not only does it prevent the chance of unwanted pregnancy for cats and dogs, but the procedures also carry some health benefits. Spaying a female pet can prevent the chance of uterine infections and breast cancer, and spaying her before her first heat will offer the best protection. Neutering male pets can prevent the chance of testicular cancer and some prostate issues, and can help remedy certain behavioral issues like spraying or marking.

Our Spay/Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) reduces the cost of having an owned pet spayed or neutered at most vet clinics within Latah County. SNAP can provide $50 off a neuter or $90 off a spay, and the program is available to all pet owners in Latah County. It can assist with up to three pets per household per year. We also operate a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program which caters to feral cats specifically. This program assists landowners with the spay/neuter, vaccination, and ear-tipping of feral cats found living on their land. After going through the program, these feral cats are then released back on the owner's property where they were found. We’re proud to offer these resources for our community, and encourage you to apply if you’re ever in need of assistance!

Spaying and neutering pets is crucially important all year round. Please encourage your family and friends to have their pets fixed!

Soup and Pie Fundraiser

Our annual Soup and Pie fundraiser took place on Monday, February 19th inside the timeless 1912 Center Great Room. After months of planning for the big day, this year's Soup and Pie proved to be our most successful so far! We extended lunch by an hour this year, and in just three hours, we saw nearly 300 locals stop by for lunch with a good cause. The event raised $6,671 for HSoP! This is so much more than we were expecting and even hoping to raise. We have so many people to thank for their roles in making this great success possible!

We heard from over 40 home bakers who pledged to donate pie for the event, and saw even more than we expected once the event began. Thank you to everyone who spent time baking pie to support our cause! The event wouldn't be Soup and Pie without plenty of delicious soup to go around. Thank you to The Moscow Alehouse, Paradise Grill and Cafe, The Breakfast Club, Mikey's Gyros, The Moscow Food Co-op, Lodgepole, and our newest soup donor, Stax, for their generous (and delightful) contributions. Java Bug ensured there was coffee and cream for all attendees!

We have so many people and businesses to thank for helping us continue the raffle this year! With 30 total raffle items, there were so many good choices to enter for. Thank you to Irish Spike's Unique Hot Sauces, Blaine Fleece and Fiber, Tye Dye Everything, Craft Art Bar & Studio, Book People of Moscow, Intrigue, Moscow & Pullman Building Supply, Clearwater Roasting Company, Palouse Ice Rink, Essential Art Gallery & Fine Gifts, Speaking Dog is Ruff, Wildflower Hawtshop, Hawtplate, and Idaho Central Credit Union for their contributions to the raffle. We also thank Shelly Gilmore, Nate Sletteland, Pam Vander Zanden, Bridget Salskov, Cheryll Root, Ron Seiler, and Susan Rounds for their personal contributions. The raffle was a huge hit this year, and we wouldn't have seen those funds without your willingness to help! Thank you all so much.

The event only flowed so smoothly thanks to our rockstar team of volunteers, who sacrificed their President's Day off to help us accomplish big things for pets in need! Thank you to everyone who volunteered to help during Soup and Pie. We truly couldn't have done it without you.

We owe an extra special thank you to Nate Sletteland from the HSoP Board of Directors. He sponsored all expenses from Soup and Pie this year, ensuring that every dollar generated through the event could make it back to the pets we serve. His sponsorship greatly furthered the impact of Soup and Pie, and we're so grateful! Thank you, Nate, for all you've done and continue to do for local pets in need. You're so appreciated!

Last but certainly not least, we'd like to thank the nearly 300 people who took time out of their long weekends to attend Soup and Pie, and support the work we do.

This was our first year holding Soup and Pie on President's Day, and we were so pleased by the turnout! We plan to continue hosting Soup and Pie on President's Day, so be sure to mark your calendar for Monday, February 17th, 2025.

Hattie Finally Found her Family!

Some of our favorite adoption stories stem from the pets who have longer-than-average stays while waiting to find their perfect match. Usually, these pets end up thriving in their future homes more than we could have ever expected. Today we'd like to tell you about Hattie's adoption story, which mirrors that sentiment perfectly!

Hattie was placed on a feeding schedule to help her reach a healthy weight, and surprised our staff by perking up in hardly any time at all! Hattie took to our shelter staff in just a few days and seemed truly content with human company. As time went on, it appeared that Hattie hadn't received any sort of training. She was struggling to go potty outside instead of in her kennel, and didn't show any signs of basic obedience.

After about a month in our care, Hattie was spayed and received the all-clear for adoption! We hoped she would catch the eye of someone immediately, who could take her home and nurture the skills we saw her building early on. Unfortunately, Hattie waited nearly a full year before she was able to go home for good.

She was briefly adopted in August, to a home with cats and another dog. The adoption didn't work out because Hattie had a tendency to chase the cats in the home. While this may seem like a sad outcome, it actually helped us narrow down the right home for Hattie. We now knew that she needed a home with no cats, but would actually prefer a home with another dog! We updated her home preferences, and the hunt for Hattie's forever home resumed.

Hattie waited, and waited, and waited. While she didn't receive many interested adopters, she became a fast favorite among our volunteers! Hattie displayed excellent leash manners on her walks, which is a huge bonus to share with adopters. She developed a tendency to spin in her kennel after a few months, and always seemed much more at ease when she was outside of the loud dog kennels. Her potty training didn't improve much, as teaching an adult dog where to potty can be extremely difficult in the shelter environment. Months passed by and Hattie continued to be overlooked by adopters. Our staff began to worry that the longer she stayed at HSoP, the lower her chance of being adopted. Still, we kept our fingers crossed for a good outcome.

In late February of this year, we heard from someone who was interested in Hattie specifically. She didn't have any cats, but did have a dog, and was interested to meet Hattie despite any of her challenges! We introduced Hattie to the adopter, and it was truly love at first site. Hattie was on her absolute best behavior, showing off what an affectionate and sweet girl she could really be. All that was left before Hattie could go home was to meet the adopter's current dog, Gus. Gus is a large breed senior dog, who grew up around other canine friends. The two started their introduction with a walk, and ended in the side yard for some play time. Gus didn't seem to mind Hattie much at all! There were a few points where she annoyed him, but what younger sibling doesn't?

After a successful meet and greet, the adopter was ready to take our beautiful Hattie girl home! On February 26th, Hattie officially left the building. It's been over a month since then, and Hattie has quickly solidified herself as a member of the family. We checked in with her adopter for an update, and here's what she had to say:

"Hattie is very smart and alert... she has learned 'shake' and 'leave it' and I am trying to teach her 'down.' She is highly food motivated, which should make training a little easier. I bought an indoor camera so I can watch her and Gus while I am at work. They only get on each other's nerves when I am home--like jealous toddlers. "

"Hattie is a true velcro dog. She loves to cuddle and follows me everywhere. And if she has to wait for me, she sits very patiently on her own."

"I can understand why others have had difficulty with Hattie, but she just needs an attentive, patient, and loving human. She lets me know when she wants something whether it's food, love, or fresh air. She runs back and forth in the backyard and makes me laugh. Hattie seems happy to be here."

It's safe to say that our beloved friend Hattie is thriving in her new home! We're incredibly grateful to her adopter for giving Hattie the safe, loving, and patient space she needed all along. We're also very appreciative to each of our volunteers who spent time with Hattie during her stay here! You truly helped prepare her for her forever home. We hope you can feel good knowing she's finally in the loving home of her dreams! Enjoy these photos of Hattie loving life after adoption. We couldn't be happier!

The Month Filled with Dog Adoptions

When the new year began, it was a slow start for dog adoptions. Throughout the entire month of January, only two of our dogs were adopted! This would be out of the ordinary even if we had all adult dogs, but at the time, we had five lovable puppies who were fixed and ready to go home. We were confused about the lack of interest for our dogs (especially the puppies), but held out hope that it was a weird fluke. This proved to be the case once February came around. As if we had opened a flood gate, adopters came to HSoP faster than we could have expected! When the month was over, a total of eight dogs had been adopted into loving forever homes. Our staff almost couldn't believe it! Several of the dogs were longer-staying shelter residents, which made the homecomings that much sweeter. This is just an example of the ebbs and flows that come with an animal shelter. Sometimes we go days without seeing an adoption, and sometimes we see several pets go home on the same day. After more than a month post-adoption, we're happy to report that all of the dogs adopted in February are still in their new homes!

March 2024

A Dog's Day at the Theater

A few weeks ago, we teamed up with Inland North Waste for an exciting fundraiser. We Wag Back was a dog-friendly showing of Wes Anderson's "Isle of Dogs", held at the historic Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre downtown. Inland North Waste organized and sponsored the event to support our cause, with all proceeds from ticket sales being donated to HSoP. Tickets were sold online for two weeks leading up to the event, and when March 20th finally rolled around, we were so pleased with the turnout! There were 32 dogs in attendance, along with their 70 human companions. After strutting their stuff on the red carpet entrance, all of our well-behaved patrons settled down to enjoy the movie. This was our first try at a dog-friendly movie screening. We were a bit nervous to see how things went, but were pleasantly surprised in the end!

All of our two and four-legged friends behaved themselves throughout the movie, and not a single accident was made in the theater. When all was said and done, the event raised over $1,200 from ticket sales alone. To take the benefit a step further, our friends at Pets Are People Too agreed to match all donations made during the event, up to $250. With over $200 donated through the course of the event, We Wag Back generated more than $1,600 total for HSoP and the pets we serve. This event was such a wonderful time for all involved, and we would love to do something like this again! Thank you to everyone who came to the show, and brought their canine best friends along. We owe a huge thank you to Inland North Waste for sponsoring and organizing the entire event! We truly couldn't have done it without your generous support. We also thank Pets Are People Too for matching donations made during the event, furthering the total impact. Last but certainly not least, we thank the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre for trying something different to support our cause!

There was a professional photographer in attendance, and he snapped plenty of awesome pictures. Enjoy a few of our favorites down below!

Troopa's Second Chance at a Happy Life

In November, we received a call from our vets at Animal Clinic and Hospital. They told us that a severely underweight dog had been taken to them for treatment. We went to the clinic to meet the dog in question... and there was Troopa. This sweet hound mix was estimated to be around 9 months old, but startlingly weighed just 17lbs. It was clear that he was emaciated and in need of care, but unclear what lead him to this point. With the condition he was in, Troopa had to be hospitalized for several days. During his stay, he received plenty of fluids and had to be force fed to eat properly. He came to HSoP after his stay at Animal Clinic to continue progressing in our care.

Once at the shelter, Troopa began improving almost immediately. He was put on a schedule of several small meals per day to help his body readjust to the appropriate amount of food. Based on his appearance, we were worried that Troopa may have some lasting effects mentally or emotionally. We were so relieved to see that this wasn't the case, and Troopa perked up to be a happy and rambunctious young pup after about a week in our care. He continued to improve quickly at the shelter, and within a month of being at HSoP, Troopa had already gained 9.4lbs. He was making great progress! After about two months in our care, Troopa received the "all-clear" from his vets to begin meeting adopters.

At around 9 months old, it didn't seem like he was given much training, if any, prior to arriving in our care. He's full of energy, but doesn't know how to contain or regulate it! For this reason, Troopa could significantly benefit from training in his future home.

Troopa has been in our care for close to five months now. He's made leaps and bounds physically, and is now sitting at a healthy 46lbs! He struggles to contain his excitement at the shelter, and this comes out as being "mouthy" or "bitey" when it isn't appropriate. Troopa has obviously been through a lot in his short life, and now he needs someone with the grace and patience necessary to help him blossom into the wonderful dog we know he can be.

Now at a little over one year old, Troopa is still waiting for his new home to come along. He's some sort of hound mix with a big singing voice to prove it. He has plenty of energy to burn and could benefit from having a job to focus on. If you think you could give Troopa the love, grace, and understanding that he needs to thrive, please don't hesitate to come meet him. Our dog kennels are open 1:00-5:00pm Monday through Saturday, and we're located at 2019 E White Ave Moscow, ID 83843.

Kitten Season Has Arrived!

It's hard to pinpoint a specific start to Kitten Season, but receiving our first orphaned neonatal kitten is usually a strong sign. This year, we received our very first bottle baby on March 18th. The lone black kitten was found all by herself on a front lawn in North Moscow, with no sign of a momma cat anywhere to be found. The kitten was not even a full day old yet! With temperatures hovering just above freezing, it was imperative that this kitten receive warmth and care immediately. The Good Samaritan who found the kitten was able to take her to HSoP, where we already had a warm kennel prepared for her. It took a while for the kitten to reach a stable temperature, but thankfully, she managed to bounce back. This sweet kitty is now in the care of our amazing Shelter Director, being carefully bottle fed every two to three hours.

Keep Homeless Pets in Mind This Tax Season

One way to make a substantial difference for local pets in need is to consider our cause for a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) from your IRA. Those who are age 70½ or older are able to donate up to $105,000 annually from their IRA to a qualified charity, like Humane Society of the Palouse. Income taxes do not need to be paid on QCD gifts, meaning that 100% of your contribution will fuel our organization's mission. This type of gift is commonly referred to as an IRA charitable rollover. If you want to make a lasting legacy for HSoP and the homeless pets of Latah County, we encourage you to speak with your retirement provider about a QCD.

New & Upcoming

Mark your calendar for these upcoming events and fundraisers! We'll be sure to share more details as time goes on, but it's always good to know these dates ahead of time. We can't wait for all of the pet-loving fun we have planned; be sure to join us!

Beer and Cider Raffle - Tickets on sale now, winners drawn April 26th

Do you like beer and cider? If so, we have wonderful news! We're hosting a raffle of local beer and cider to raise funds for the homeless pets we serve. There are five prizes up for grabs, donated from several local tap houses and breweries. Tickets are on sale now, so visit our website to enter for your chance to win! Our five lucky winners will be drawn on Friday, April 26th.

Half-Priced Pet ID - Offered the entire month of April

All pets should have accurate and reliable pet ID! We know from experience that it makes all the difference in reuniting lost pets with their families. For the month of April, engraved pet name tags will cost just $6 and lifelong microchip ID will cost just $15. Microchips are available by appointment only, so please call us to schedule. Name tags are available any time during open hours!

Pups, Pints, and Paints - Sunday, April 7th from 12:00-2:00pm @ Moscow Alehouse

If you love pets, beer, delicious food, or letting your creativity run wild, then this fundraiser is perfect for you! The Moscow Alehouse has teamed up with Craft art Bar & Studio for an exciting art-centric fundraiser to support the pets in our care. Join us for pint glass painting (and bring your well behaved pup along) on Sunday, April 7th. Get your tickets in advance by visiting the Craft Art Bar & Studio website. All proceeds benefit HSoP!

Idaho Gives Online Giving - Monday, April 29th through Thursday, May 2nd

Each year, the Idaho Nonprofit Center hosts Idaho Gives to raise much-needed funds for nonprofits throughout our state. We'll be participating, alongside several other Latah County organizations! Consider making a donation during the four-day giving event to help us reach our goal and continue offering second chances for pets in need.

For more ways to help HSoP during Idaho Gives, please visit our website.

HSoP Kitten Shower - Sunday, May 19th from 1:00-4:00pm @ 1912 Center

Bring along a small donation or an item from our Kitten Season wish list to help us care for hundreds of orphaned kittens this year! We'll have educational materials, informative games and activities, and real-life kittens from HSoP for you to meet and snuggle with.

Paw-louse 5k Fun Run - Tentatively scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd

We're still in the process of planning our annual Paw-louse 5k Fun Run & Walk. The event is currently planned for Saturday, June 22nd, but that may change! Keep an eye out for more information about the 5k (and the T-shirt art contest!) as we get closer.

Howling at Hamilton - Sunday, September 8th from 1:00-6:00 @ HLAC

Moscow's annual dog day at the pool is scheduled to take place Sunday, September 8th from 1:00-6:00pm at the Hamilton-Lowe Aquatic Center, located at 830 N Mountain View Road in Moscow. The pool is for dogs only during this event! The cost is $15 per dog and all proceeds benefit HSoP.

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