All animals deserve a second chance, and thanks to the Stanwood and Camano Island animal shelters, this little corner of the Pacific Northwest is able to provide one for them. Keep reading to learn more about all of the good that these local animal shelters do and how you can get involved.
The NOAH Center
Stanwood is home to The NOAH Center (Northwest Organization for Animal Help), which is dedicated to giving pets another chance at life. With a family-friendly pet adoption program that has helped more than 40,000 pets find their forever homes, this organization’s goal is to help companion animals stay alive, healthy, and as happy as possible.
The NOAH Center offers helpful programs like their Spay & Neuter program to help with the pet overpopulation issue, and they also host fun and productive community events. One such event is “Music for the Animals”, which was held on October 2nd, 2021 at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington. This event included live music, food and drink, fine art, fundraising for homeless cats and dogs, and more.
Camano Animal Shelter
Camano Island also has its own animal shelter, rightfully named Camano Animal Shelter Association, or CASA. This animal welfare organization includes a no-kill shelter that helps caring people and loving pets connect, and gives them support along the way. You can sign up to foster pets (including kittens and puppies!), volunteer and donate, or simply just use their great services. For example, this shelter offers low-cost microchipping so that your pet can easily be identified and returned to you in the unfortunate case that they get lost.
Why Adopt?
The “Adopt, don’t Shop” movement is intended to bring light to the circumstances of homeless animals and encourage people seeking a loving pet to adopt from an animal shelter as opposed to buying from a breeder. About 6.5 million pets are brought into U.S. animal shelters each year, and only 3.2 million are adopted out. In order to reduce the number of euthanizations and give these loving pets a chance at a better life, remember to adopt, not shop!
For people that are unable to care for a pet 24/7 but still want to contribute to the cause, many shelters (including The NOAH Center and Camano Island Animal Shelter) welcome volunteers to both help with the animals in the shelters and to foster pets at home. They also welcome monetary donations. All you have to do is reach out to your local shelter and ask what you can do to help!