2023 Year End Recap
January 13, 2024 via email
Attached is the year-end report along with the intake stats for 2005-2023 (I didn't keep records in 2004, just started in January of 2005 when we started having foster homes and helping people place their own dogs).
You can see the pandemic slow-down and the fairly frantic ramp-up this year.
And we have puppies this year! Penny the adorable chocolate longhaired chi mix, who is in Anacortes with amazing foster Pamela Fowler, had three puppies on 12/18, surprise! She's been a terrific mom, Pamela has managed it somehow (completely new to her but very experienced aunt in the next block) with the tremendous support/advice/help of foster Sarina Duncan who has professional experience in the past but couldn't take on another dog. THANK SOME HIGHER POWER FOR THAT! since I know nothing about it. They have done really well and puppies are thriving. At least one is spoken for by vet clinic staff🙂 and we hope the other two will be easily placed. We have had puppies two other times, the most shocking to me 2009 when Rhonda's dear cavalier KayCee had 2 puppies 3 weeks after arrival. I was in the exam room when our Dr. Peterson took xrays of KayCee's heart and found 2 puppies.... At least Rhonda had time to prepare. Pamela got Penny from temporary foster on 12/15 and puppies were born on 12/18. Wow.
Tina and Dee have been posting adoptable dogs for others with quite a lot of success, at least for the smaller dogs and those who aren't restricted to "no other dogs" homes. We would love it if more shelters would take the time to ask us to crosspost their seniors, it's so often successful (even though Kelly has to keep tabs on most of them to find out when they are in truth adopted). Lahni spends a lot of effort with the "FSBO" (adoptable from owner) referrals, trying to help the owners and steer the right inquiries to them. The "posted for others" part of what we do takes a team effort for sure, but is very worthwhile.
Everyone I know in rescue and shelters continues to say the same thing: this is the worst it's been in memory, certainly for my 20 years, and isn't likely to change anytime soon. I even heard a piece on NPR about how overwhelmed the shelters are and how adoptions have slowed. I'm seeing some expansion in vet care availability the last few months, which is a hopeful sign, but of course prices won't ever go back down (especially now that most are corporate-owned) and that means many folks just can't get their dogs the right care. So some are given up because owner knows the dog needs care or when they are given up they are in such bad shape that no one would adopt. There are a lot of dogs in real need of vet care that come to us....
We are getting lots of foster inquiries again, not too many that work out in the end. We have a huge waiting list of dogs who need us all the time, with more dogs in care than ever before and fewer active foster homes than for many years. On the other hand, we have a wonderful wonderful group of people knocking themselves out to help the effort which gives me much hope. Today, a brand new transport volunteer drove from Seattle to southeast of Yelm and back to our place in Arlington to bring a mess of a poodle mix. That was a VERY long drive, he did a great job with a dog who doesn't see/hear much, and he was thrilled to help. There are a lot of good people who care. Thank you all for caring so much.
Judith Piper
Director of Veterinary Services/Dog Manager
Old Dog Haven
