 Found on a logging road and unable to stand, Dorothy faced incredible odds. We raced her to emergency where we learned that she had a broken pelvis and shattered leg.  She would need surgery to amputate her leg, so we put out a plea for financial support. THANK YOU for showing up! Because of your donations, and the incredible skill of our vet team, Dorothy went through surgery without issue and then on to her foster home for recovery and lots of love.  IT TAKES A VILLAGEDorothy bonded quickly with one of her fosters, but needed time to trust others. And really, who can blame her for being cautious after all she went through! At HSMC, we are passionate about connecting adoptable pets with pet lovers whose home/family dynamics and lifestyle are a fit. Yet, when Dorothy became available for adoption, we struggled to find someone who was a great match for her. Thankfully, her fosters were committed to providing her care no matter how long it took to find "the one."  And then, Angela came along. She had worked with a timid dog before and was ready to devote the time and support needed for Dorothy to feel comfortable. Angela visited Dorothy regularly, driving 2.5 hours for every visit. All this effort paid off as Dorothy got to know Angela and began to trust her. The yummy treats she brought with her sure didn't hurt!
Dorothy's transition to her new home went better than expected. She jumped onto the bed as soon as she walked in, knowing that this was it...her forever. After a couple of weeks in foster without issue, Angela has made it official! After 311 days in care, Dorothy has been adopted! To honor her new life, she is now called Trinity. THANK YOUThank you to our donors, volunteers, and staff/vet team who all played a part in helping heal Dorothy's shattered body and broken spirit. Thank you to Angela for your commitment to this beautiful survivor who is already thriving in her new life! We wish you great happiness and love. VIDEO: Dorothy, now Trinity's first trip to the beach!
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 Kimberly Wallencheck (left in above photo) began fostering for HSMC in 2023 and has since fostered over 60 animals! "I have fostered parvo puppies, ringworm kittens, bottle babies, URI kittens, panleukopenia kittens, and lots of babies with the poops! I have learned things I never could have imagined and more every day!," Kimberly tells us. And with all those cats and dogs, Kimberly has somehow only foster failed twice. Kimberly shares, "I am impressed with my restraint! I could have easily failed dozens of times!" Kimberly volunteers in our office weekly, helping with data entry and customer support, primarily. She also serves as adoption counselor and helps with our events.  One of Kimberly's passions, and a very important role with HSMC, is TNR. Thanks to a grant from Ashley's Kitten Academy, Kimberly has been actively trapping community cats this summer.
 So far this year, we have spayed/neutered 399 feral/community cats! We treat all our animals with great care. Trapped kitties awaiting surgery will have a blanket covering their cage to help reduce stress (above photo). And after surgery, kitties are wrapped in a "purrito" to stay warm during recovery.   Monthly donations are the backbone of our rescue work, helping us respond to emergencies, provide consistent medical care, and plan for the future. Every dollar makes a difference. Become a "Friend" of HSMC by joining our monthly giving program, and help us save lives all year long!
 The kitties that we recently rescued from the overcrowded home in Mason County (with 81 cats!) are now available for adoption. As you can imagine, their lack of socialization has left them a bit timid, but they're all the sweetest, most gentle cats! In fact, check out this video of Ziggy that just might make you a little teary-eyed! Ziggy was quite nervous when he first arrived in foster. But after lots of patience and love, he has decided that his foster mom gives the best love! Just listen to that purr while this little guy is making biscuits to rival the best bakers in town! Ziggy and his brother Patches are looking for a home together. When they aren't snoozing in their favorite perches or getting snuggles from their fosters, they love to wrestle and play! Here's a video of Patches with one of his favorite toys.
 During the month of August, we participated in Clear The Shelters, a nationwide campaign to encourage animal adoption from shelters and rescues across the country. Given the large number of animals in care during the summer, this was a great time to offer reduced adoption fees - 50% off teen/adult cats and 50% off the second kitten when adopted in pairs. During the adoption process, our trained volunteer counselors spend time in conversation with each applicant. We discuss their lifestyle, family and home environment to determine which pet might be a good match. We share helpful information on kitten care and safety as well as how to slowly introduce their new pet to other pets in the home and to children. We come alongside our adopters as partners, offering guidance and support to help ensure a successful adoption.  Let's Celebrate!In August, a whopping 153 animals found their forever homes! This is about the same number of adoptions we saw in June and July combined. We love when kittens are adopted together. In fact, we require that all kittens adopted from us go home with a compatible feline friend for their social development and general well-being. This past month, we had four families who took it a step further and adopted THREE kittens each! We can only imagine how fun their houses must be right now! In addition to offering discounted adoption fees, we also began a partnership with PetSmart in Silverdale and hosted open houses at our adoption center in Belfair. And though our Clear the Shelters discounts are no longer available, we are continuing the reduced adoption fees for select pets, so please spread the word that we have great animals still looking for their forever families.
  HSMC Rescues 81 Cats in a Home in Mason County from Heartbreaking Hoarding CaseOver the past three weeks, the Humane Society of Mason County (HSMC) has worked closely with the Mason County Sheriff’s Office to remove 81 cats from a local home. For years, this home was known for giving away free, sickly kittens throughout the community. We reached out numerous times to offer support but were turned down each and every time. The cats were living in filthy, overcrowded conditions, left to breed unchecked, without ever receiving veterinary care. With shelters across the region already at or over capacity, finding space for this many animals felt nearly impossible. Still, we moved forward, knowing that we needed to act NOW. Over multiple trips, HSMC staff and Sheriff’s deputies spent more than 21 hours on site, carefully locating and safely removing cats from every corner of the overcrowded home.  Partnerships make it possibleThanks to the generosity and grit of several key rescue partners—Kitsap Humane Society, Center Valley Animal Rescue, Seattle Humane, and Pasado’s Safe Haven—we were able to transfer a large number of cats into care. These organizations cleared out medical holding areas just to make room, and we are incredibly grateful. HSMC still has cats in care from a spring hoarding case where we rescued 46 animals. Cats from overcrowded living situations generally come to us with illnesses or other medical issues that may require an extended stay before they are healthy and ready for adoption. Most of the cats from this recent case are adults/seniors who are scared and will need time, patience, and veterinary care to recover. Taking on this number of animals has filled every inch of our space, but we are proud to be here for the animals of Mason County when they need us most.  After a few days in foster, Patches has come out of hiding to enjoy pets from his foster mom. Watch this video with the sound up high to hear his beautifully croaky motor. Such a purring machine! Patches is one of the most social of the bunch. The Humane Society of Mason County is able to continue saving lives because of the support of our amazing community. THANK YOU to our donors, volunteers, and rescue partners for standing beside us as we work to create a safer, more humane world for animals.
 We're not kitten around. We've been at war with the spores!
Moe and friends are such fun guys...who also happen to have fungi! All jokes aside, these little ones had mild signs of ringworm or were exposed to it. Ringworm is a contagious but very treatable fungus, sort of like athlete's foot. These sweet, absolutely adorable kittens are ready to go into their forever families while they finish their treatment. We'll provide their adopters with 30 days of medical support, including medication, instructions, and rechecks if needed. Don't let a little scabby skin come between you and your new best friend!
We’ve enlisted some of our most experienced TNR volunteers to assist community members who are feeding and caring for unowned cats in need of spay and neuter services.
With this funding, HSMC plans to spay and neuter 100 community cats throughout Mason County. Along with surgery, all cats will be given vaccines, flea treatment and any medical care they need. They'll also be ear-tipped to verify they have been altered, which helps with future/ongoing TNR efforts. To learn more about this program or get involved, visit our Community Cats page.  We might not want to think about it, but we’re all vulnerable to significant illness, injury and death that could prevent us from caring for our pets either for a short period of time or indefinitely. You love your pet and want what is best for them. One of the greatest gifts you can give them is to plan for their care should you ever be unable to provide it yourself. Check out our very thorough guide Planning for Pet Care on how you can put plans in place for: An Emergency When you leave your house in the morning, you don’t assume that today is the day you’ll get into a car wreck or have a heart attack. And we sincerely hope neither happens to you! But becoming seriously injured/ill and unable to return home later that day to take care of your pet is an unfortunate possibility. Long-term Care At some point, you might need someone to care for your pet for a long period of time (during a major recovery period, for example). Or the time might come when you can no longer care for your pet. In both scenarios, we need to consider long-term care options. Leaving a LegacyThe Humane Society of Mason County is grateful for your support. We welcome you to explore the meaningful impact you can make through planned giving. By including HSMC in your estate plans, you’ll leave a legacy of care and protection for animals in need for generations to come.
The most common planned giving options include: Leaving a bequest through your will or living trust. You can arrange for the gift to be a specific amount or a percentage of your estate. Gifts from a retirement account or life insurance policy. Designate part or all of your IRA, employer-provided retirement plan or life insurance policies to HSMC. In any way you choose to partner with HSMC to provide care for our community pets in need, thank you. We greatly appreciate your generosity.  Throughout the month of August, adopters have one more location where they can meet adorable kittens - PetSmart in Silverdale!
We're thrilled to expand our reach to adopters in Central Kitsap and are pleased to announce that our first adoption took place only days after our partnership began!  The Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW) — home to one of our most vital foster programs — is closing in the coming months. This program, rooted in second chances and compassion, has been a lifeline for hundreds of at-risk animals; and it has provided a deeply meaningful opportunity for the women who have cared for them. Thanks to the incredible work of our fosters at MCCCW and through your support, over 500 animals have received care since the program's inception in 2020. With the correctional facility closing, we face a major transition. We need you now more than ever. What happens next? Our team has been working diligently to expand our foster capacity in anticipation of MCCCW closing its doors, including:
How can YOU help? This change leaves a large gap — but also an opportunity for growth.
Thank you to our incredible MCCCW fosters and the staff who have supported this program. With heartfelt appreciation, this video is our tribute to them. Growing Needs. Life Saving Work.
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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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Office Address
24070 State Route 3 Belfair, WA 98528 |
Office Hours
Monday through Friday 9am - 1pm Adoption by Appointment |
Mailing Address
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.