 One of the largest dog breeding cruelty cases in Mason County has finally come to a close after two long years. HSMC was there on Day 1, working alongside law enforcement to assess the animals and coordinate their care. While the criminal case moved through the justice system, there was much about that day and the weeks that followed that we could not publicly share. Now that the case has concluded and Beth Evans has been prosecuted, we are finally able to tell more of the story of what happened on that property and, most importantly, what happened to the animals who survived it. **Please be advised that this cruelty case is horrific, and while we will not share gruesome photos, the story alone is enough to upset your stomach and bring tears to your eyes. Please read with caution.** Let us be clear. This was not a situation of a pet owner who became overwhelmed with too many animals. Beth Evans ran a commercial breeding business through the online puppy sales website, Puppies.com, where she went by the alias "Paula" and had many positive reviews. To customers online, Evans could appear to be a knowledgeable, caring older woman who understood dog breeds and answered questions about the puppies.  Those adopters weren't aware of the deplorable conditions the parents of those puppies were living in. They didn't see the pens crammed with dogs, separated by breed. Most pens had four or five females and one male. In some cases, the females were chained while the male in the pen was allowed to roam freely, most likely to result in a higher number of pregnancies. Some of the dogs were seniors, being forced into the physically taxing and dangerous job of pregnancy and birth to earn a paycheck for Evans. Those adopters never saw the emaciated bodies of animals who didn't have enough to eat, the dogs whose mouths were taped shut, or the open wounds that were not being treated. They didn't know about the dogs trapped in small cages, lying in urine-soaked wood chips covered in feces, or the remains of animals who perished and were left to rot.  The public saw adorable puppies being cared for by a sweet and knowledgeable lady. Behind the scenes, these poor animals were suffering immensely. It's possible that law enforcement would have never been called to the scene if it wasn't for Heaven, a dog who escaped and brought attention to the horrific cruelty these animals were experiencing. Heaven had been severely attacked by other dogs on the property, and her injuries were so significant that one of her legs had to be amputated. Our friends at Pasado’s Safe Haven stepped up, taking Heaven into their care and providing the extensive veterinary treatment she needed. But Heaven survived, recovered, and received a second chance. And because of her being able to escape and get help, 71 other animals received a second chance as well.  Moon was one of the animals rescued from the property. HSMC Board Member Tina opened her home to Moon, fostering her while she recovered and began her new life. A Better Tomorrow We must do better in order to stop these horrific crimes against animals.
Beth Evans was sentenced on one count of animal cruelty. She spent 15 days in custody and will no longer be allowed to own, possess, care for, or live with animals. That's it.  Moving Forward We encourage all adopters to consider rescue when adding a new furry friend to your family. For those who choose to purchase from a breeder, we implore you to do your research. Meet the parents of the puppies. See where they live. Search for reviews outside of the breeder's website. Do not assume that good reviews, a professional-looking online presence, breed knowledge or a friendly seller automatically means the animals are being treated well. HSMC is committed to being here when Mason County's animals need us. While HSMC does not receive funding from Mason County to provide animal control or sheltering services, we remain committed to working alongside law enforcement and our community when animals need us. Cases like this are possible for HSMC to respond to because of the people who support us. Donations from our community and our robust programming give us the flexibility to step in when animals need veterinary care, transportation, supplies, safe placement, and immediate support, allowing us to respond to needs that might otherwise go unmet. As HSMC continues to grow, so does our commitment to creating a stronger safety net for animals throughout Mason County.  A New Beginning We are incredibly thankful to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office for taking the situation seriously, investigating, obtaining the warrant, and giving these animals a chance. We are equally grateful to the incredible animal welfare organizations that answered our calls and stepped up to help us get 67 dogs, four cats, and one horse to safety. Pasado’s Safe Haven, Seattle Humane, Kitsap Humane Society, Joint Animal Services, Save a Forgotten Equine (SAFE), Wenatchee Valley Humane Society, and Smidget Rescue each played a role in helping us provide care, placement, and a path forward for these animals. And we thank our veterinary team, staff, fosters, adopters, volunteers, donors, and everyone else who worked alongside us - many working around the clock - to provide care and comfort for these animals. All of the animals regained a healthy weight once they were finally able to have an appropriate amount of food. They were scared of humans, but with time and patience, they learned that they were safe. All the animals were adopted into loving homes.
Pictured here from left to right in their adoptive homes are Athena, Murphy and Snoop. From Our Executive Director There are moments in this work that stay with you forever. The Beth Evans case is one for me.
At 11:00 p.m. on a Saturday night, I got a call from a Mason County Sheriff’s deputy. They had received approval for the warrant. I was told to meet them at the Beth Evans property at 9:00 a.m. the next morning when they would serve it. I knew we were potentially walking into a very large animal cruelty case, so I started thinking about what we would need and who I could call. By the next morning, I was there with law enforcement as they entered the property. Nothing could have fully prepared me for what we found. I spent the next four days on that property helping secure and care for the animals while we figured out where 67 dogs, four cats, and a horse were going to go. I pulled every connection I had, calling friends and colleagues at shelters, rescue partners, veterinary professionals, and animal control officers I knew. We needed kennels, transportation, placement, veterinary care, supplies and people willing to help. And people showed up. That is one of the things I will remember most about this case. In the middle of something truly awful, I watched an incredible network of people come together for animals they had never met. At the time, HSMC was entirely foster-based. We didn't have a dog shelter where we could simply bring 67 dogs. There was no easy solution waiting for us. We had to build one in real time, and I could not be more proud of the way our team and our partners did exactly that. When I think about that property and then look at where we are today, it is hard not to feel hopeful about the future of animal welfare in Mason County. Our new partnership providing animal services for the City of Shelton is just the tip of what we are working toward. HSMC is building greater capacity, stronger partnerships, and expanded veterinary and animal welfare services so that we can continue to be there when animals and people throughout our community need us. There is still so much work ahead. But I know what this organization is capable of because I have watched it happen firsthand. Two years ago, we stood on a property with dozens of animals who needed somewhere to go and no simple answer for where that would be. We figured it out. We showed up. And so did our community. That is the HSMC I am proud to lead, and I cannot wait to see what we build next for the animals of Mason County. Katherine Johnson Executive Director Humane Society of Mason County
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 HSMC secures contract with City of Shelton After over two years of planning, we're proud to announce that as of August 1st, the Humane Society of Mason County (HSMC) has secured the contract to oversee the City of Shelton's dog shelter and animal support services. "Partnering with the Humane Society of Mason County not only enhances the level of care we can provide to Shelton’s animals, but also creates meaningful efficiencies across our governmental services. By aligning our efforts with an organization whose expertise is centered on animal welfare, we’re able to deliver better outcomes for residents and streamline the city’s resources in a responsible, community‑focused way." - Mark Ziegler, City Manager, City of Shelton All of the dogs from the City of Shelton shelter officially came into our care mid-July, and we are thrilled that all but one of these adult dogs have already found their forever homes (see updates below). Plus, we anticipate that all the puppies in our care at the Shelton shelter will be adopted very soon! “This partnership gives us the opportunity to take what HSMC does best and bring even more care, resources, and support to the Shelton community." - Katherine Johnson, Executive Director, HSMC While the shelter has only one dog today, we are focusing our efforts on improving and updating the building and grounds (details below).  What to expect moving forward? As a nonprofit organization serving Mason County, we have already been working with (and for!) Shelton residents for the past several years. This contract enables us to expand our services within that community. Here are some of the improvements you can expect:
Thank you for your patience during this time of transition. Hiring and training staff and making much-needed improvements to the shelter building and infrastructure are our first priority. We will continue to keep you informed as we move forward.  Get excited for shelter improvements! The upgrades we'll be making to the existing shelter building and fenced outdoor yard will improve safety for the animals and humans, offer a more inviting space for adopters, and ensure a comfortable temporary stay for the dogs in our care. Over the past several months, we have thoroughly assessed the building and outdoor spaces to develop a list of priority projects. As you can imagine, the number of items needing repair is lengthy, and we have several items that need to be purchased. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support our community has shown us. Together we will maximize the potential of the existing shelter by making it a safe, welcoming space for all. THANK YOU for your support!
 How YOU can help! Making these upgrades to the shelter property will allow us to use the space safely and to its fullest potential. We need your help to make it happen! We are specifically looking for community partners to assist us with the following projects:
If you have the skills to assist with these repair, installation, and fabrication projects, and you are willing to donate your time, please complete a volunteer application. THANK YOU!!! If you are aware of a business that might offer these services and would like to pass along their contact information, please share it with us at [email protected]. If you don't have these specific construction/repair skills but would like to help us with the improvements to the Shelton shelter, please consider making a gift today. We greatly appreciate all donations from individuals and businesses who wish to support us through this expansion. Please donate on our website through the button below. If you have questions or would like to learn more about financially supporting HSMC, please contact our Executive Director, Katherine Johnson, at [email protected]. Happily Adopted Enjoy these wonderful "happy tails" stories from two of the dogs recently adopted from the Shelton dog shelter. Bebe's Story After 83 days at the Shelton shelter, Bebe has been adopted! This beautiful girl is full of life and energy. She is loving her new family, including a doggy friend. She spends her days playing ball and swimming in the warm summer sun! What a life!
Ryke's Story As a protector, Ryke was looking for someone who would provide him with the enrichment and socialization he craves while understanding his need to guard his property. Ryke was originally surrendered to the Shelton dog shelter in April. This gorgeous boy was adopted a couple of times, but neither home was the right fit. At HSMC, we work hard to match loving adopters with an animal who is a good fit for their lifestyle, family, and home environment while also prioritizing the animal's needs and preferences. Plus, we offer continued support to our adopters to ensure a successful transition. We're thrilled to report that Ryke is loving his new life! His adopter says he is calm in his new home and settling in well. We're so happy for this beautiful boy and his forever person!
Adoptable Thor
   Working Together: Intakes & Adoptions You've heard people say, "It's kitten season!," and that is true, but the reality is that at this time of year, intakes are very high for many reasons.
Celebrate with us! Given that almost all our animals live in foster homes, how is it possible that we can continue accepting animals into our care every week? The answer: ADOPTIONS During the past four weeks, 102 animals have come into our program and 115 have been adopted. This is incredible! When you adopt from HSMC, you make room for another animal who desperately needs us. And believe us when we say that the need right now is significant.
Adoption Events  We're thrilled to be participating in PetSmart's National Adoption Week. Come out to meet our wonderful pets! CATS Monday - Saturday July 20-25 12:30PM - 6PM CATS & DOGS Sunday July 26 1PM - 2:30PM For a smoother adoption process and priority scheduling, please complete your adoption application in advance. PetSmart is located at 9589 Ridgetop Blvd NW, Silverdale.  Adoptable Newton and his siblings will be at our PetSmart adoption event. Now is a great time to adopt! Throughout the year, PetSmart Charities generously donates to our organization as we meet adoption goals. During National Adoption Week, those donations are DOUBLED! From July 20-26, dogs adopted through HSMC at PetSmart will result in a $200 donation per dog from PetSmart Charities! The donations awarded for cats are calculated differently; we receive donations after we meet certain adoption goals. During National Adoption Week, every cat adopted counts as two, so we'll be able to meet our adoption goal more quickly, which means we'll receive our funding sooner! If you've been thinking of adopting, NOW is a great time! Not only will you enjoy a lifetime with your new best friend, but you'll be helping HSMC raise additional funding that will go a long way in providing care! Meet your adoptions team! Did you know that all of our adoption counselors are volunteers? When you submit an adoption application, it goes straight to our adoption counselors. One of them will give you a call to learn more about the type of animal you're looking for and help you find your new best friend. Your adoption counselor is a great resource and can offer suggestions for the type of litter your kitty might need, how to safely introduce your new pet with your current ones, fun ideas for kitty enrichment, and so much more!
Sheri - If you're interested in adopting a dog, you'll most likely speak to Sheri! Not only is Sheri our primary dog adoption counselor, but she is also one of our superhero fosters who cares for large litters of puppies, moms and babies, kittens and more! Anytime the staff need assistance for pretty much anything, Sheri is quick to raise her hand. Wendy - Wendy is one of our two primary cat adoption counselors. She devotes time just about every day of the week to helping adopters find their purrfect match! Wendy is a regular volunteer at our adoption center at PetSmart in Silverdale, and she safely transports kitties from rescue partners into our care. Michele - Our other primary cat adoption counselor is Michele. On any given day, you'll find Michele talking with potential adopters, transporting cats from HSMC to PetSmart, and continuously fostering an array of dogs, cats, kittens and puppies, including bottle babies. Michele is a non-stop force of good! Laura - Our floater Laura helps out wherever she's needed, so you might speak with her if you're adopting a dog or a cat! Her primary volunteer roles include overseeing our PetSmart adoption center, organizing our adoption events, producing content for our social media and website, and helping to support our new fosters. Plus she fosters both dogs and cats as often as she's able. Kimberly - Not pictured here, Kimberly is our TNR expert. She's called in to chat with anyone interested in working cats. Though we always try to place cats in loving indoor homes, we recognize that the indoor life isn't for every cat. To an unsocialized cat who is used to the outdoors, being forced to stay inside would be terrifying. Kimberly works with our adopters to properly and safely transition the cats to their new territory. Adorable Adoptable
  Out of the thousands of pets we see each year, some animals and their stories will always stay with us. Nova is one of those cases. Trigger Warning: Though we will spare you the worst details and will not share any gruesome photos, Nova's story may be upsetting for some. Please read with caution. A community member found Nova in a ditch on the side of the road. She was in active labor, and they brought her to us for care. Then came the "birth." We were disheartened to witness Nova deliver a malformed, deceased baby. Later came another deceased, deformed kitten that was stuck and needed vet intervention to be gently removed. During surgery, Nova's infected uterus was removed along with one final deceased kitten. The trauma is over, and now Nova can now begin to heal.  The Promise of Tomorrow Nova's body is still recovering, but we're happy to report that she is doing well in a loving foster home. This precious girl adores being snuggled and held. Though she's a bit tentative in new situations, she's slowly gaining confidence and beginning to explore her temporary home. She has the cutest chirp when she's excited, and she's a champion biscuit maker!  Life-saving Care at HSMCAt HSMC, we see the value of affordable spay/neuter services first-hand every day, and we make it our mission to provide this care to our community. In fact, we have increased access to our community veterinary care by providing more clinic appointments, and thanks to your support, we have plans to continue expanding our services! While spay/neuter is imperative to prevent unwanted litters and help manage the overpopulation crisis, sterilizing a pet also reduces dangerous health risks, including certain cancers and uterine infections. Pregnancy is hard on an animal's body, and complications may arise at any time, but young pets that are not fully mature, as well as senior pets, are at a greater risk.  12-year-old Katie came into our care through our Last Litter program, along with her three puppies. Once the puppies are weaned, Katie will be spayed and returned home. The puppies will be available for adoption once they're old enough to be spayed/neutered. Superheroes in Action Each week, approximately 50 new animals are coming into our care during this busy season. We are so grateful to our incredible foster caregivers! Because of these superheroes, we can continue to say YES to the animals who need us. Have you ever considered fostering? WE NEED YOU! If you've ever thought about being a temporary safe haven for an animal in need, please begin your foster journey by completing an application. One of our fosters will give you a call to answer all your questions and get you started.  More Ways to HelpWe understand that not everyone is in the position to foster, and that's OK. There are so many ways to support the life-saving work of HSMC, and here are just a few ideas. We appreciate you! Host a fundraiser! Gather your neighbors for a garage sale to support HSMC. Invite friends over for game night and collect donations for the animals. The possibilities are endless! Purchase raffle tickets Our Golden Ticket raffle drawing will take place at our Tails event this Saturday. You do not need to be present to win. Purchase your tickets today for a chance to win a fabulous vacation! You choose between a dreamy 5 nights in Mexico or a taste of southern whiskey with a 3-night trip to Tennessee. Tickets on sale through Friday 5/29; closes at midnight. Share our social media Did you know that simply sharing and commenting on our social media posts raises funds for HSMC. Follow us, and be sure to engage! Volunteer We can always use more volunteers! Spend time with kitties. Help out in our office. Assist with events. Transport animals. Complete a volunteer application to get started. Donate Your gifts directly improve the lives of animals in our community. Thank you for giving generously. Consider a recurring donation for a steady source of funding for our programs!   After being with us almost a year, we're overjoyed that Harstine and Dixie have been adopted together in a very special "foster fail."
The story of how these dogs, who were abandoned and scared, found safety and family is incredibly heartwarming. Grab some tissues! You're going to need them as our fosters share their decision to shift from temporary to forever with these two precious dogs. Enjoy this beautiful story shared from Harstine and Dixie's fosters, turned adopters, in their own words.  Temporary. That was the word we clung to. A bridge, not a destination. We help dogs decompress, learn what it feels like to be safe, then send them to their forever homes. We have said it out loud, more than once, like a rule not meant to be broken. Then came Harstine. A BIG scared galoof that stole our hearts from day one, but the goal was to help him find his way. We said, "He will make an incredible dog someday." We meant it.  Then came Dixie. On a hot August day, she needed help.This shy girl chose life with her own agenda. We laughed and said, "She's going to make somebody so happy; she is such a good girl." We meant that too. As fosters, we spent countless hours trying to prepare them for their future. The applications that came in were close matches, but nothing that seemed perfect.  Then something happened that we didn't plan for. Harstine changed his routine, brought ballies to us, and relaxed in a way we had never seen. Dixie started looking for us, enjoying car rides, helping Harstine balance his fears. The last few applications, something would tighten in our chests. Letting them go would not be helping them, it would be breaking something that had already come together.
 Ever heard the saying, "It takes a village?"When it comes to animals, it truly does take a community working together to rescue, protect and care for these vulnerable, precious souls. The Humane Society of Mason County is honored to serve in an area where people have a heart for animals. A sad goodbye. A new beginning. We were saddened to learned of a mama cat who was found deceased in the middle of the road in Belfair, presumably having been struck by a car. This cat belonged to an outdoor colony that was being cared for by a compassionate community member. One of our volunteers, Torrie, was recently approached about trapping the cats at this location so they can be spayed/neutered and vaccinated and then returned. Torrie was alerted about a mom with babies living in the colony, but when she went out to assess, she found the babies hidden in a completely inaccessible spot under a porch. When we heard the news of poor mom's demise, we knew that time was critical to find and provide care for her babies. Without mom, these kittens wouldn't survive! The babies were not at their last location; their mom had moved them! But where? Torrie, and HSMC staffer Lisa, quickly mobilized in the rain to search possible hiding spots. And wouldn't you know they guessed right on their first try! The four babies were now hiding under a shed. But how to get to them???
As you can see in these first two photos, there is almost no gap between the shed and the ground. Time to start digging! Armed with shovels, flashlights and a cat carrier, Lisa and Torrie set to work. It took almost three hours, but finally, they were able to create an opening large enough to access the babies (third photo). Torrie shared with us, "One came out of the side and tried to hide in the boards, so I grabbed him. The other three were a challenge. We dug a tunnel just barely big enough for me to crawl into and grabbed them one by one."
 Thankfully, we had an experienced bottle baby foster ready to say yes to accepting these little ones into her home. The kittens - Trey, Spider, Erica and Atari - are growing healthy and strong in foster! What happened to the mom who was killed? A compassionate community member graciously retrieved mama cat's body and respectfully buried her. This is what true community looks like - all of us coming together to improve the lives of animals and their people! Thank you to everyone who is part of this "village."  Volunteers in action, unloading pet food for our food bank partners! Want to be part of the village? When we work together, we can have a significant impact on our community's pets. If you're passionate about animals and want to be part of the "village" working to improve the lives of pets and their people, we'd love to have you join our team! There are many opportunities to get involved. Foster: As a foster-based organization, we rely on fosters to house and care for our animals until they are adopted. The larger our foster network, the more animals we can accept into our program. Our team provides you with supplies and training; you provide the love and care. Adopt: One of the greatest ways you can support animals in our community is to adopt! HSMC has a team of volunteer adoption counselors who will work with you to find a pet who is a great match. We're here to help you every step of the way - before, during and even after adoption! Volunteer: There are lots of ways to volunteer with HSMC! We can always use help around the office doing a myriad of things that change day to day. Want to work directly with animals? Join our PetSmart care and adoptions team. Have skills writing or with photography or video editing? Enjoy planning events? Organizing? So many opportunities! Complete a volunteer application and we'll chat with you about all the options. Donate: Every dollar matters! Donating to HSMC helps provide food, vaccines, spay/neuter surgery and basic supplies, such as litter, for animals in our care. Your contributions help pets and the people who love them stay together when times are tough, through low-cost or free vet services and much-needed food and supplies. Your gift enables us to continue offering low-cost spay/neuter for our community, which prevents unwanted births and improves the health of that animal. Because of you we can trap, neuter/spay, vaccinate and return community outdoor cats, thereby ending the cycle of continued litters. Your compassion is extended to your community through HSMC's work in accepting animals found as strays or when family members can no longer provide care. The list of ways your funding through HSMC supports our community goes on and on! Get Started Today Celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week  Every day is volunteer appreciation at HSMC, because volunteers are the heart of all we do!
They play a vital role in rescuing animals, providing care, and partnering with adopters to ensure a supportive adoption process. Volunteers make our office run smoothly by preparing surgical kits, entering important data into our system, assisting with printing and mailing, doing loads and loads of laundry, and serving as a resource for community members. Our dedicated team of volunteers transports donations to HSMC and partnering food banks. They bring rescued pets from shelter partners coming into our care, and transport animals to specialty vet visits. They deliver cats to PetSmart where they help socialize the kitties and help adopters find their match. Volunteers help organize our fundraising events, keep our facility in good repair, photograph our animals, and so much more! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all our volunteers. We appreciate you and all you do! A year worth celebrating! What began just a few years ago as a bold commitment to expand access to spay and neuter services has grown into a comprehensive, community-centered organization providing compassionate care and integrative solutions for animals and their people throughout Mason County. Because of the support of our community, the Humane Society of Mason County rescued 44% more animals in 2025 than the previous year, and we provided 39% more spay/neuter surgeries. These services do more than change individual lives, they help prevent future hardship and bolster our entire community.
Read Their Stories Our 2025 Impact Report is here and it's filled with reasons to celebrate! So many lives were changed in 2025 because of you! Like Patches who was rescued from an overcrowded home with 81 cats, Melvin who went from unwanted to loved and training to be a seeing eye dog, Kat who was abandoned but survived, and Dorothy who needed time to accept love and has now found her happily ever after! Read the stories of lives changed, and hear updates on where these animals are now. Plus, check out the numbers that reflect all these incredible success stories.  Be Part of the Magic!
 For the first time ever, we aren't able to send new kitties to Ziggy's this week. Why is that? In a nutshell, the cats who were designated to go to Ziggy's unfortunately started having diarrhea. They are on medication, but are not yet healthy enough to send. Given our current low numbers of adoptable cats, we unfortunately don't have any other cats who are an option to send. The adoptable cats we do have are not a candidate for Ziggy's because of their personality or health issues. Interested in learning our process for accepting animals and how we get them ready for adoption? Read on for the inside scoop... Where do our animals come from?We accept animals into our program through a variety of ways. Some are found as strays and officially enter our program after their stay hold period is completed. Many puppies and kittens come in through our Last Litter program, and animals of all ages are surrendered due to a variety of reasons. Others come in through rescue partners. And still others come from overcrowded, very unhealthy "hoarder" homes. Young kittens capable of socialization come in through our TNR efforts, and other animals are sadly left abandoned at our door. To accept a stray or surrender into our program, we review surrender applications that are submitted to us, and when we have space available, we follow up with each person to learn more about the pet. If we're able to assist, we set up a time to intake the pets. You wouldn't believe the number of people who never call us back or who don't show up for their intake appointments! Around the holidays, the lack of response was even greater. We currently have less than half the number of animals we have the rest of the year. Granted, this cycle of having more animals in the summer and fewer in the winter is very common. But the lack of response from people applying to surrender pets has contributed to our reduced number of animals. Thankfully, people are now responding, and we have 23 animals coming in this week. We bring as many pets into our program as we can while maintaining quality standards of care for the animals and realistic expectations for our team. However, It's important to note that we are not an open admission shelter. We are a small foster-based nonprofit organization, and we do not have the capacity to accept every single animal into our care.  How do we ready animals for adoption?When an animal first comes to us, they receive vaccines, a dewormer, and an intake exam. Almost every pet accepted into our program comes to us with an illness or injury that needs treatment. In fact, in 2025, HSMC spent over $26,000 on diagnostic testing and emergency care alone! Countless cats come into our care with upper respiratory infections, and we had a large number of cats who came to us with ringworm this past year. A lot of animals, especially cats, have diarrhea that can take quite a while to address. Healing takes time. Thankfully, our incredible team of skilled veterinarians, techs and assistants is able to provide most care in-house, which significantly reduces our overall medical costs! Many of the pets who enter our program are scared. Some have never been exposed to humans or they have had negative experiences in their short lives. We help them to learn that respectful, loving humans are safe. Helping them to trust takes time and patience. On average, only about 20% of the animals in our care are ready for adoption. Because we strongly believe in reducing the overpopulation problem, all of our pets are spayed/neutered before being made available for adoption. As you may know, the low-cost spay/neuter appointments at our clinic are in high demand. We are working hard to expand our clinic capacity, but at the present, we must balance the number of appointments used by HSMC pets and those made available to the community to get their own pets fixed. Because of this, there are times when our pets are waiting to be made adoptable because they haven't been able to have surgery yet. Selecting cats for Ziggy'sIn order to be a candidate for Ziggy's Cat Lounge, cats must be healthy. They must have gone through a quarantine period so we know they aren't contagious to others. They must have passed their FIV/FeLV test, and they must be able to handle the fun, yet overwhelming environment. And of course, cats who don't do well with other cats obviously aren't a logical fit. We do our best to evaluate every cat to determine who will be a successful match for Ziggy's in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.  Congratulations to Ziggy's for celebrating their 900th adoption on Saturday! We're rocking the adoptions!Now that you know some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into accepting and preparing an animal for adoption, it's important to highlight one of the main reasons we have so few pets right now. So many adopters are looking to HSMC to find their new best friend. This is wonderful news! Almost every week, every single cat is adopted at Ziggy's. Cats arrive at PetSmart in Silverdale and often leave the same day! Even our shy cats living in foster or at our facility in Belfair are being adopted. This is incredible, and we're so thankful for the amazing adopters who choose to love our pets! Our adoptions team works hard to help loving families select a pet who will be a good match. And after adoption, we're here to help with any questions or problems that might arise. Because of this, our rate of return is quite low. More good news!  We're disappointed that we aren't able to supply Ziggy's with adorable cats this week. But making sure that all the animals in our care are safe and healthy is our top priority! We expect to have more cats available next week. In the meantime, we ask all our of supporters to show Ziggy's some love this week! Want to help?
 December 31, 2025 As we close out another year, I want to share my heartfelt gratitude with everyone who has walked alongside HSMC. Your time, funding, expertise, and kind words have made a meaningful difference. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your generosity, compassion, and support. Working in animal welfare is challenging, but it is also incredibly rewarding. There are sad days when an animal is simply too sick to be saved, and our hearts hurt for those we lose. But those moments are only part of the story. There are also so many moments of hope. Beautiful lives we are able to nurse back to health. Animals who learn what love feels like, gain confidence, and move on to life with families of their own. All lives are precious, and it is a true honor and joy to be part of their journey. It is because of you that we are able to say "yes" to so many animals in need, including my sweet foster Konica, who has been adopted and is living her best life!  UpdateYou may be aware that the Humane Society of Mason County has been in conversation with the City of Shelton to determine how we might partner together to expand animal welfare services in Shelton. The City Council recently conducted a study session to consider this partnership. I hope you'll take the time to watch the video recording of the meeting.  The details of exactly what that partnership would look like is still being discussed, and there is no time frame for when, or if, the partnership would begin. Nevertheless, I think it's important to keep you in the loop and share some of my thoughts. First and foremost, please know that HSMC is committed to Mason County and the surrounding area. We currently serve the residents of Shelton and will continue to do so whether we enter into a partnership with the City of Shelton or not. We are a nonprofit organization, and we currently rely solely on our low services for fees, the grants we diligently apply for, and generous donations. We are committed to fiscal responsibility; to using the funds entrusted to us with wisdom, gratitude and respect. Our organization will continue to grow, and our services will be expanded, as funding allows us to do so. A partnership with the City would enable us to expand our services for that community. Through our established, robust programming, we would be able to provide greater visibility for Shelton's adoptable dogs, reduce length of stay, and ensure quality veterinary care, enrichment and behavioral support, whether those dogs are located at the Shelton shelter facility or in our foster program. This proposal includes an animal welfare officer, a role that is greatly needed, yet is not currently available anywhere within the county. Not only would this position advise on cruelty and neglect cases, and assist with at-large and dangerous dogs, but this person will be a resource for the community, offering education and options for affordable services and solutions. What we're proposing is a true partnership, where the City of Shelton provides a percentage of the funds needed for this program, and we contribute funds as well. We'll have the greatest impact by working together! I'll update you as I know more about this potential partnership. But for now, please know that I'm grateful for your support. HSMC is proud to serve our community, and we are looking forward to growing our capacity for service. The need is so great, but together we are making a real difference! With gratitude,
Katherine Johnson
Executive Director  Imagine a world in which all of our community’s pets are safe, healthy and loved. In just three short years, the Humane Society of Mason County has jumped in with both feet, ready to make this vision a reality.Because of your support, we launched a low-cost spay/neuter clinic that has already changed the lives of over 13,000 animals! That means THOUSANDS of pets are no longer adding to the overpopulation crisis. This year alone, our small team of staff, volunteers and fosters has rescued almost 1,400 pets, which includes bottle babies, strays, cats in overcrowded hoarding homes, animals who are injured or sick, birds whose owner passed away, senior pets, and a couple of guinea pigs and rabbits.  Maurice's StoryBy the time Maurice came to HSMC, he was the only survivor in his litter, and he was in rough shape! He had been stepped on and had terrible fractures and contusions. Our skilled vet team (with stabilizing support from the ER vets) helped repair his little body, and his foster family gave him all the love and care he needed to heal. Once he was off kennel rest, Maurice showed off all his pent-up energy by playing hard with every cat, dog and person he could find! What a wonderful sight to see this baby playing! No more broken body, no more fear! Maurice's playful energy resulted in another wonderful success! He helped foster sibling Boriska come out of her shell! When she first went into her foster home, Boriska endured pets but mostly just wanted to hide in a corner. Her foster family was making slow progress on getting her to trust them...and then Maurice came to live with them! Maurice refused to accept "no" for an answer! He'd get Boriska to play with him no matter what! Check out this video of the early days when Maurice was just starting to teach Boriska to play. He was tenacious...and she was falling for his charms! It worked! Now, our once shy Boriska can't get enough attention from her people! She's such a fun, silly little girl! Check out this video to see what a love bug she is! We have a feeling Boriska will be adopted in no time now that Maurice has helped her gain confidence.  Amazing news! Our miracle baby Maurice has been adopted and is loving life with his new family! Here's what his adopter shared with us... "Todd, formally Maurice, is settling in so well already! I'm recovering after a very recent but luckily minor heart attack and when I went in to Ziggy's Cat Lounge to meet him, he crawled down my sweatshirt and curled up right over my heart and purred. That's when I knew I had to bring him home. This little man is a joy!" Congratulations to this new family! There's still time to give in 2025!We're blessed to witness countless miracle stories, like Maurice's, because of your support! If you have given in any way this year, please know that YOU are the reason we celebrate these successes!
We rely solely on our low fee for services, the grants we diligently apply for, and donations from people who believe in what we’re doing and want to be part of the solution. Thank you for your support! |
Paws in PrintIn this blog, you'll find adoption stories to warm your heart, plus news, tips for pet care, and so much more! Archives
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The Humane Society of Mason County
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Main Office & Vet Clinic
24070 State Route 3 Belfair, WA 98528 Main Office open M-F, 9 - 1 Vet Clinic by appointment |
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PO Box 168 Belfair, WA 98528 |
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© 2025 The Humane Society of Mason County
Supporting all of Mason County, including Shelton, Belfair, Allyn, Grapeview, Hoodsport, and Matlock.
Supporting all of Mason County, including Shelton, Belfair, Allyn, Grapeview, Hoodsport, and Matlock.