News

While much of daily life has been turned upside down amid the COVID-19 outbreak, at least one thing remains the same: Animals at local shelters and rescues are looking for forever families.

The process has changed a bit due to social distancing protocols but the Humboldt County Animal Shelter, the Sequoia Humane Society and Companion Animal Foundation are continuing adoptions by appointment, as well as placing cats and dogs in foster care.

To catch a sneak peek at some of the pets ready to play fetch or snuggle on a lap, visit each of their Facebook pages, here, here and here. (Online applications and more information can also be found at each of their respective websites.)

All three are also asking for community support to help continue their missions of keeping their charges as happy and comfortable as possible until someone comes to take them home.


Andre Hale, who oversees the county’s shelter, said in an email that the facility decided to seek out foster care for some of its dogs amid the outbreak — something normally only done when an animal has medical issues — because “we were uncertain what the impact would be overall on the animal shelter and wanted to try to create as much space as possible.”

“In addition, the desire from the community to foster increased due to their being home and having more time to devote to an animal,” she said.

Since the shelter in place was implemented, 14 dogs (in addition to a husky with 10 puppies) went to live with foster families. Of those 14, nine are now permanently placed.


All in all, Hale said “things are going pretty well,” with a total of 25 dogs and four cats finding homes between March 20 and April 17 — which is about the facility’s pre-coronavirus level.

An Amazon “wish list” for toys and other items can be found here, and Hale said the county is also seeking donations for the shelter's emergency medical fund, which is run by the nonprofit animal rescue Friends for Life.

The fund, she said, “is crucial” for treating animals suffering from a variety of ailments, including heartworm, broken bones and infections. Donations can be made at Friends for Life’s website by clicking on the Network for Good icon in the upper left corner and specifying the shelter’s emergency medical fund.

The Sequoia Humane Society and Companion Animal Foundation are similarly continuing to coordinate adoptions while seeking out foster homes. Both lost a crucial funding source when the nonprofits had to shut down their thrift stores due to the virus and are asking the community for support.

Sequoia Humane Society Kennel Director Rebecca Chesterton told the Times-Standard that an emergency foster program was set up in response to the shelter-in-place order and the society has instituted a “no-contact pick-up/drop-off (for foster pets).”

The humane society has set up several ways to donate to the no-kill shelter, which can be found by visiting its Facebook page, while the Companion Animal Foundation has donation information its website.