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Animal Tales Newsletter

Read our newsletter to learn more about the work we do at Washington County Animal Services and the Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter. 

Animal Tales is one way we share happy stories from the Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter, the hard work of our Animal Services officers in the field, and information for pet owners in the community.

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Enjoy the most recent issue of our Animal Tales newsletter, as well as past editions, below. 

Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2023 (PDF 3.75 MB)
In this issue of Animal Tales, we focus on the many reasons we are grateful for the individuals and organizations that help us care for the people and pets of Washington County. We’ve got stories about young donors finding creative ways to help animals, tributes to our transfer partners, and more! You’ll also find articles about our recent awards, how we use teamwork to care for stray pets with medical needs, and our commitment to sharing our animal welfare expertise with others.
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2023 (PDF 10.23 MB)
We’re pulling back the curtain and giving you a glimpse behind the scenes in this issue of Animal Tales! Read about how we keep pets and people safe at our facility, the many ways our staff work together to get lost animals back home, and how our officers protect and care for the community outside our shelter walls. Curious about shelter medicine? Don’t miss the article spotlighting on our certified veterinary technician! We also highlight the benefits of keeping your cat indoors and things you can do now to increase the chances of a reunion if you and your beloved pet are ever separated.
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2022 (PDF 813.29 KB)
In this issue of Animal Tales, read about our efforts to get lost pets back home quickly, a creative collaboration to keep a dog named Liberty safe, the work we do to ensure animals are included in Washington County’s emergency planning, and more!
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2022 (PDF 464.67 KB)
In this edition of Animal Tales we invite you to take a deep dive into the more serious side of our operations. Read about what it’s like to discover and investigate animal neglect, and the work our entire team pours into these distressing situations in order to ensure the best possible outcome for the animals involved. Plus, we highlight the story of a kitten who found his little body stuck in a big dumpster, give you a snapshot of the diverse work our Animal Services officers do in the field, outline what to expect if you ever need to call us for help, and more!
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2021 (PDF 2.95 MB)
Read about how we support both pets and the people who love them in this issue of Animal Tales! This time around, we’re sharing stories about Washington County’s first ever pet-friendly cooling center, a cross-country trip for two special pets and the changing trends in animal sheltering. Plus, we’ve included tips to plan for your pet’s future and a step-by-step guide to registering or updating your furry friend's microchip.
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2021 (PDF 821.51 KB)
Learn about the many ways we work collaboratively with rescue groups, police and fire agencies, community members and each other to care for the animals of Washington County! In this issue: Heartwarming reunions, stories of Animal Services officers in the field, an introduction to the Animal Services Academy, the challenges of finding veterinary care during the pandemic pet boom, catio inspiration and more!
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2020 (PDF 2.49 MB)
We are grateful to our community for supporting us and working with us as we adjust to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. In this issue: Read about our response to COVID-19, meet our new Animal Services Field Supervisor, say a fond farewell to long-time Animal Tales editor Jen Keene, learn the ways in which our medical care for shelter animals isn’t always routine, indulge in a sweet adoption story involving one of our transfer partners and learn more about how we’re staying in touch with volunteers during these changing times and their new role at the shelter.
Friends of the Animals Donations, Spring/Summer 2020 (PDF 402.98 KB)
During the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic starting in early 2020, Animal Services made some significant adjustments to operations, while still providing emergency and priority field response as well as all necessary services at the shelter by appointment. Stray dogs and injured animals continued to come in, and we maintained our stellar RTO (return-to-owner) rate. One of the other adjustments we made was deciding not to produce our Spring/Summer issue of Animal Tales. While this newsletter is an important way for us to share our story, thank our donors and increase our funds, we felt that the resources of staff time, printing and postage would be better spent as part of our COVID-19 response. Jen Keene who is the editor and main writer for the newsletter is also our liaison to the County's Emergency Operations Center and that required her main focus during this time. However, we still wanted to highlight and thank the donors who would have received recognition. The document linked above has the full list of donors, as it would have appeared in the Spring/Summer issue of Animal Tales.

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