Eight-graders visit Seattle Human Society
December 17, 2008
By Laura Geggel
Snoqualmie Middle School students donated hundreds of pounds of cat and dog food to the Seattle Humane Society Dec. 10. On a class field trip funded by the PTSA, the 14 eighth-graders who organized the pet food drive visited the humane society to get a tour of the facility and learn how they could help animals waiting for adoption.
Snoqualmie Middle School student Marisela Valenica pets a cat during a field trip to the Seattle Humane Society.
“What you can do is almost more important than the volunteers that come here,” said Dorothy Blauvelt, a Seattle Humane Society volunteer who lives in North Bend.
Students were told the Seattle Humane Society needs more people to do three things —adopt, donate food and animal supplies and, most importantly, spay or neuter their animals.
The class started the project after teachers Constance Clarke and Diane Wilson asked them to organize a service project. Students wrote essays about animals that were special to them and started collecting pet food in the lunchroom.
They also made posters and read announcements about the drive to the whole school over the intercom.
The Seattle Humane Society reciprocated, bringing the Maxmobile to Snoqualmie Middle School and teaching students about cat, rabbit and rodent care.
Blauvelt praised the students for holding the pet food drive and encouraged them to collect even more supplies throughout the year.
In addition to pet food, the Seattle Humane Society accepts blankets, towels and small carpets that provide not only bedding for animals but also washcloths for animal baths. Other animal merchandise, including animal carriers, toys and medicine are also needed.
All donated items are accepted whether they are new or used. The humane society thoroughly cleans the donations before they are given to animals.
“Anything you have, even old towels, we don’t care if they’re ripped,” Blauvelt said. “We need them to wash the dogs.”
Seattle Human Society is different from the animal shelters run by King County, which came under scrutiny in April after veterinarians learned some shelters were over capacity, among other problems.
The Seattle Humane Society visits King County animal shelters once a week and saves animals on “death row” to give them a chance at adoption. The humane society only euthanizes severely ill or aggressive animals.
On the tour, the students learned how volunteers walk, play with and wash the animals.
On average, dogs stay at the humane society for seven days before they are adopted. Cats are another story.
Seattle Humane Society has so many cats, it is waiving the adoption fee for cats over a year old during December.
A pair of breeding cats can have 12 kittens in a year. If all of those kittens reproduce, by year ten there will be more than 80,000 new cats — a number that turns the staff and volunteers at the humane society pale.
“You have a tremendous responsibility as future owners of pets,” Wilson said. “Make sure they’re neutered so they don’t have puppies upon puppies.”
Students learned the dog cages at the humane society are scrubbed every day to prevent germ and odor buildup. They also saw the outdoor play area where people can visit with dogs up for adoption.
Before heading into the cat rooms, Blauvelt warned the students to whisper.
“Cats hear five times as loud as we do,” she said. “We’re going to talk very quietly.”
Marisela Valencia made best friends with a fluffy brown and white cat. The cat happily flopped on its side and purred as Valencia scratched between its ears.
“I like cats,” Valencia said. “I had one before.”
Alex Anderson, who has a beagle named Ginger, said he would like to volunteer at the humane society once he turns 18.
“I think it’s upsetting,” eighth-grader Chelsea Link said as she passed by the cages. “I feel bad for all of the animals that don’t have any love or care.”
Clarke and Wilson hope to make the drive an annual event. To learn more, visit www.seattlehumane.org or call 641-0080.
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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