For over a century, Seattle Humane has been a pillar of hope for both pets and people across the Puget Sound region. Rooted in the belief that everyone deserves the love of a pet, the organization not only helps animals find their forever homes but also supports families in keeping the pets they already cherish. Through comprehensive community programs, veterinary care, fostering opportunities, and adoption services, Seattle Humane continues to transform lives—one tail wag and purr at a time. We spoke with their team to learn more about their mission, the impact of fostering and adoption, and how you can get involved.
Can you share a bit about Seattle Humane’s mission and how it supports both animals and local families?
Seattle Humane’s mission is to strengthen the human-animal bond, whether through completing families in our adoption center or keeping pets with the people who love them with our many community programs. We have a world-class veterinary clinic that provides medical services to low-income families and shelter pets, a temporary foster program for people in crisis, education programs, dog training courses, financial assistance funds and a Pet Food Bank that provides nearly a million meals annually to hungry pets in our community.
What are some of the ways community members can get involved with your organization?
It would be impossible for us to do this lifesaving work without the support of our community. Eighty-three percent of our revenue comes from donations, and every department is supported by amazing volunteers helping our team with everything from shelter care to administrative tasks. Fostering is another great way to get involved at Seattle Humane, providing extra TLC to vulnerable pets and freeing up space at the shelter for us to bring in even more cats, dogs and critters in need.
Why is fostering or adopting a pet such a meaningful experience for families with children?
The goal whenever a pet enters the shelter is to get them home as quickly as possible. When that doesn’t happen, we turn to our amazing network of foster families to provide much-needed respite. You will see an incredible improvement in their physical and mental health in a home environment, and we are so grateful to everyone who steps up to help pets on their journeys home. We are in the middle of Kitten Season, and many of these baby cats coming to us will be too young and helpless, needing round-the-clock care in loving foster homes.
What advice would you give to someone considering pet adoption or fostering for the first time?
It’s always important to do your research when looking to adopt or foster and to know what you are willing to take on. Younger dogs will need lots of training and do best with a set routine while older dogs are more predictable but may have greater medical challenges. We encourage adopting kittens in pairs, so they don’t get lonely and can rely on each other for learning things like bite inhibition and positive play. For people considering fostering, sometimes all that is required is basic food, shelter and lots of affection for a pet who is stressed in a shelter environment. There are also those more medically challenged foster pets who need additional care. We encourage people to only volunteer what they feel comfortable taking on – any time outside the shelter makes a big difference.
Where can readers learn more?
All of our adoptable pets, community programs, veterinary appointments, information about volunteering opportunities and educational blog posts can be accessed through our website at SeattleHumane.org.