I’m raising money for the Oregon Humane Society via 2025 Doggie Dash.

I started at OHS in February of 20204. I manage two departments at OHS- One is Second Chance, which is our transfer program that pulls dogs & cats from other shelters around the state and the country. Second is Admissions & Intake, where we assist owners when they need some sort of help to keep their pet in their home, or when they can no longer have their pet and must surrender them. Owners end up in these situations for many reasons, some of the most common include:

-Housing Barriers-
Housing is a huge barrier in allowing people to stay with their pets. Everything from Folks facing houselessness, a building/Landlord that does not allow pets, the cost of “pet rent” and pet security deposit fees, and size and breed restrictions are some of the main issues that owners cite as barriers to staying with their pet. These owners are choosing between being without a home and their best friend. This is a decision that I do not wish on anyone.

-Medical Surrender-
Pet has chronic or acute medical needs that the Owner cannot afford.
These Owners are choosing to give up their pet, so it doesn’t go without the care it needs.
In late 2024 an Owner called explaining that their dog had chronic allergies and a serious skin issue that they had been dealing with for the past 2 years. The Owner was at a financial and emotional wits-end and could not continue to provide the care that the dog needed. This Owner had spent more than $11,000 on specialists and medications and care for the dog, and their savings were now gone. This person made the heart-breaking choice to give their dog a chance at a happy future and surrendered them to OHS. We were able to provide some immediate care, which gave the dog some relief, and then let the dog recover in a medical foster home. After that he came back into the shelter where he was adopted to a family that was ready and able to provide the (expensive) ongoing care that the dog will need for the rest of its life.

The original Owner called me a few weeks after surrendering to get an update. They thanked me from the bottom of their heart. They cried and explained how much relief we provided them by taking in their dog. They said that however hard it was to give them up, watching the dog suffer was worse. Owners do not surrender pets lightly. They make awful, unfair, heart-breaking decisions in the best interest of their beloved pets. This case was no exception.

-Fleeing Violence- I hold my breath every time I get called up to assist with someone fleeing DV. Usually the person presents as female, (though not always,) and sometimes they have their children along with them, but their reason for surrendering is often the same-
“If I leave my pet in the home, he will kill it.”

I have heard this from the mouths of dozens of people as they beg for us to take their dog, cat, their kid’s pet hamster, etc… I try to stop them right away by saying- “Don’t worry, they will be safe here. We will find them a great home.”
The tears often come as they realize we are going to help them, and a wave of relief washes over their face. I usually shed tears on these days as well.

-Lifestyle Changes- This could be anyone! One Owner lost their job and had to move back in with their parents, but their parents already have pets won’t allow any more. One Owner had twins and no longer has time for their large, active dog, and don’t want to see them spend 12-14 hours a day in a crate. One Owner had a surgery that now prohibits them from safely owning or walking a pet. The reasons are endless, and they are things that could happen to any of us.

I have heard THOUSANDS of these stories from the last year, and they all have one thing in common— these people love their pets.

One of my favorite Owners of 2024 was an elderly gentleman that had served in Korea and Vietnam. He needed to go into hospice at the VA but could not find a home for him cat. His wife and kids had long passed, and the only thing he was worried about was making sure his cat was taken care of. Someone at the VA suggested he reach out to OHS. I explained our process and helped him complete the paperwork to surrender his cat. He brought her in a week or so later and tearfully signed her over to us. I promised him she would go to a good home.
I was elated that I was able to call him about 10 days later and to tell him that she had been adopted by a middle-aged couple who planned to spoil her rotten. He wept on the other end of the phone as he thanked me and told me that now he could leave this world with “nothing hanging over his head,” that he was at peace.

This is why I do what I do. THIS is why I put in long hours and try to support animal welfare workers at every opportunity. This is the single most fulfilling thing I have ever done.

Please donate to my page so the incredible team at OHS can continue to help people and their pets.


Love,

Beth

P.S.- I’ll tell you about the magic that our Second Chance team does in a later update. 😊