PetsWALK to Support the Animals of Kitsap Humane Society
July 14th, 2016
It’s summertime, the weather is fine, and opportunities to enjoy the sunshine with friends, family, and our pets are abundant! Join four- and two-legged friends at the beautiful Downtown Poulsbo Waterfront this Saturday, July 16, from 7 AM to 1 PM in order to support the Kitsap Humane Society (KHS) in their annual PetsWALK, a walk-or-run fundraiser, which includes vendors, live music, pet talent contests, pet costume contests, and games to help our furry friends at the animal shelter live happier lives.
Last year, PetsWALK 2015 broke record attendance, bringing together more than 400 walkers and runners (and 150 dogs) who participated in teams comprised of family, friends, coworkers, nonprofits, church groups—you name it! PetsWALK 2016 hopes to surpass both the fundraising and attendance for last year, so gather a team, register for the event, and join us in walking, running, or playing games in the name of KHS, sporting your PetsWALK t-shirt, free with registration. For extra fun, come with elaborate costumes for your team and pets, and join in the costume contest!
Choosing to fundraise for PetsWALK is easy and has fantastic prizes and rewards! Within two days of registering, you will be provided with a link to direct you to your own fundraising website, which can be personalized and even linked to your own sites and personal media, such as Facebook! Inspire your friends to donate to this crucial and fantastic cause—instead of buying a $5 mocha latte one morning, send that money to KHS, where that donation will be used to buy life-saving veterinary care, food, and so much more for these animals. Prizes for fundraising for KHS range from water bottles, pet bandanas, totes, baseball caps, hoodies, t-shirts and, wow, even an iPad for those who raise more than $2,500!
The fundraising goal for PetsWALK 2016 is $25,000, and KHS believes this goal is attainable with your help! While fundraising for the event is not a requirement, the incentives are high—Kistap Humane Society has spayed and neutered 2,301 animals in 2016 and rehomed 2,892. These sweet animals have been provided with food, medical care, shelter, and love by volunteers, veterinarians, and donations since the opening of KHS in 1908.
Due to the chaos around World War II, the KHS disbanded, but the need for an animal shelter only became more critical. During the war, the population of Kitsap County increased exponentially due in large part to military relocations, and with it, so did the animal population. When owners were relocated from Bremerton and the Kitsap area, many animals were left behind and, unfortunately, were often exterminated by law enforcement. Local animal advocate Almeda Harris Wilson saw a solution to this animal crisis and pushed for a revival of KHS in 1961, which succeeded due to support from county and city officials. Later in the sixties, the KHS was relocated to a brand new shelter in Charleston Beach because of a lack of space, which was then enlarged in 1971, but even the renovations were inadequate, and the shelter was relocated to a bigger property in 1989 in Silverdale, where it currently resides. Keeping this shelter open has not been easy, and it takes a village–or, in this case, a county—to thrive!
Like most, this independent, nonprofit, KHS functions solely on service, volunteering, and donations from fundraisers and private donors. Without events like PetsWALK raising money for KHS and similar shelters, it is unknown how Kitsap County would be forced to resolve stray or abandoned animals. Not only does KHS care for these animals, but they also match them to the perfect owners for a happily-ever-after that some never thought possible. Often, owners of shelter animals wonder, “Who adopted who?”
The shelter provides adoptions for dogs, cats, small animals, and occasional livestock, a Barn Cat Program, and fostering for injuured, traumatized, or young animals, as well as extensive veterinary care, such as microchips, spay and neutering, euthanasia, cremation, and vaccinations. Support can be offered to KHS through volunteering, personal donations, corporate donations, hosting a third-party event, In-Kind giving, planned giving, and bringing your friends and family to fun events such as PetsWALK!
Parking for the event will be provided by Gateway Fellowship in Poulsbo, and registration begins at 7:15 AM. If you’re attending for the pet vendors, head to the Waterfront Park at 8:30 to get the first picks of all that the merchants have to offer. The walk begins at 9 AM at Lions Park (6th and Matson), and contests commence at 10:30 AM at the Main Stage. The awards ceremony will be held at 11:45 AM at the park, and the ceremony will close by 1 PM. Scroll to the bottom of KHS’s PetsWALK event page to see the many sponsors and possible prizes you or our pet can enjoy! See you there!
Contributed by Christine St. Pierre
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