Nearly 12,000 animals pass through Oregon Humane’ shelters every year, each on their own unique journey. Some simply need a warm, safe place to land until a new family comes along. Others have more specific needs, ranging from medical treatments to specialized training. Oregon Humane programs and services are able to meet every need, providing the highest quality care for every animal who comes through our doors.
Animals arrive at Oregon Humane through one of three programs. When partner agencies are at capacity our Second Chance program transfers animals to Oregon Humane, when animals experience abuse or neglect our Humane Law Enforcement team may bring them to our shelters for safety, and when pet owners in our community face challenges that require them to rehome their pet, Oregon Humane is here to be a safety net.
Rehoming a Beloved Pet
Our Admissions team works directly with pet owners who need to rehome their animal so that we can learn as much as possible about the history, behaviors, and overall health of the pet. Although these decisions can be heartbreaking, our team always respects the decisions made by individuals about their capacity to provide care for the animals in their lives.
This was the case for Suki, a young and exuberant Labrador/Great Dane mix. Suki was surrendered to Oregon Humane when her owners were faced with mounting medical expenses due to her unfortunate habit of eating non-food items such as socks, underwear, and hair ties. Suki was surrendered with a care package and handwritten note from her owners, providing insight into Suki’s personality and advice on how to care for her, including the best food to keep her sensitive tummy issues at bay.
Getting Care
No matter how animals arrive at Oregon Humane, they receive a health and behavior assessment to determine any immediate needs. While these assessments are helpful to discover existing issues, concerns can crop up at any time.
Our Animal Care team plays a key role in alerting the Medical team to potential health issues and notifying the Behavior Modification team if an animal would benefit from extra support.
For Suki, because her previous owner provided a robust history of her behavior, Oregon Humane staff knew that she would need extra enrichment while at Oregon Humane in order to manage her habit of eating foreign objects. While in our care, Suki was even treated to a Dog’s Day Out adventure with volunteers to Frenchman’s Bar, where she dipped her toes in the water and got to observe some noisy sea lions.
Finding a Home
Our Customer Care team matches adopters with animals that best fit their lifestyle to set everyone up for success. Still, Suki stayed at Oregon Humane for nearly three months, despite attempts made by staff to promote her to adopters, including wearing “Ask Me About Suki” buttons on their shirts. Despite her delightful demeanor, Suki’s size and track record of ingesting non-food items made it difficult for her to be adopted.
Eventually Suki was enrolled into Diamond in the Ruff, our foster-to-adopt program that gives potential adopters the opportunity to foster a new pet before committing to adopt. The Oregon Humane Customer Care team provides extra support and guidance through regular check-in calls.
Suki’s long wait and time in the DITR program was well worth it—she now lives a fun-filled life with lots of doggie playdates and adventurous outings in her neighborhood after being adopted by her DITR foster mom.
Animals can remain at Oregon Humane for as long as it takes them to be adopted. Oregon Humane staff are always thinking of creative ways to showcase the animals who have been waiting the longest for a home, including signage at the front desk, dedicated social media posts, and—in Suki’s case—promotional buttons. Thanks to our generous donors, dedicated volunteers, and passionate staff, all animals in our care receive the comprehensive care they need to feel their best while awaiting their new homes.
