Meet Jeff! Jeff has given extraordinary contributions of time to RASKC and has done so with the best spirit and great skill as a Dog Walker and as a Shelter Helper. Jeff not only has been one of RASKC’s very most reliable volunteers with his weekly shift, he has been absolutely magnificent by filling in on open shifts. Jeff has been truly exceptional in going the extra mile, often responding to a last-minute requests to help out.  

From December 2016 through mid-April 2018, Jeff worked 142 shifts, often going beyond the standard two-hour shift. The number of shifts that Jeff has worked is all the more amazing, because he took a two-month vacation. Jeff and spouse Bev foster RASKC animals, which we are very grateful for. Jeff and Bev, who is also a RASKC Dog Walker, will be moving to Central Washington this month. We will miss both of them beyond measure. An interview with Jeff can be found on our website and blog. Thank you, Jeff and Bev!

Earlier this month King County Executive Dow Constantine convened a press conference at Seattle Meowtropolitan Cat Cafe to laud RASKC's many recent achievements. 

One of the featured key achievements: RASKC's pet-adoption rates increased 20% from 2016 to 2017. Last year RASKC connected 2,992 animals to new families, up from 2,467 from the previous year. This was due, in part, to RASKC's embrace of the Adopters Welcome philosophy, introduced by Animal Services Coordinator Nickie Ford.

Check out this video (almost 12 minutes) that highlights many of RASKC's other key milestones from the past year. You can see several volunteers in the video, including Jennifer French, Lori Middleton, Marie Gerken, Lucy Camelia, Denise Sheheen, Debra Karr, Sharon Peden, Donna Tredway, David Howerton, Vyrna Layton, Jeannie Cossette, and Shannon Weiler.

All of the accomplishments result from the combined efforts of RASKC staff, volunteers, and community partners. The Seattle Times article covering the press conference highlighted RASKC's partnership with three cat cafes- Seattle Meowtropolitan, Neko Cat Cafe, and Cafe Cocoa.

King County Executive Dow Constantine is so proud of RASKC's accomplishments that he featured RASKC in the new video titled Delivering the Most Value to Improve the Quality of Life for the People of King County (2.5 minutes).

Executive Constantine said, "Our dedicated employees and volunteers have transformed humane care for animals in King County. It is a remarkable record of success in a very brief time. It may not seem like such a big thing, but it's an achievement which I am very proud of. It's an example of how we can transform government operations when we unleash the creativity and potential of our employees and give them clear outcomes to achieve."

This video shows a chart (pictured) that shows that RASKC's pet-save rate increased from 51% prior to 2004 to 92% in 2017. 

People who adopt RASKC cats at Covington Petco and Tukwila Petco are now able to enjoy a much more efficient process than in previous years. Now they can process the adoption at the stores, without being required to drive back and forth from the store and the shelter. This saves customers time and mileage expense. 

Since Petco is open to the public most days from 9am- 9pm, this gives our cats twice as many hours to be adopted than at the shelter. RASKC is open to the public weekdays from 12pm- 6pm and weekends from 12pm- 5pm.

While RASKC cats at these stores and at the three cat cafes cannot be viewed on RASKC's website, the tradeoff seems to greatly favor the signifcant improvement in the customer experience.

If you foster, please register now for RASKC's annual Springtime Foster Dinner Celebration, which will be taking place from 5:30pm- 7pm on Thursday, May 24, at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tukwila.

Please join us for another fun event, where foster volunteers and staff can chat with other foster parents and shelter staff, share stories, wonderful food, and laughter. 

This year's event will include an opportunity to see baby and childhood photos from some RASKC staff and foster volunteers. If you would like to create a powerpoint from the photos for this event, please contact Sarah L.

This foster dinner takes place to applaud the amazing foster parents and families who make such a tremendous difference to all those wonderful cats, kittens, dogs, puppies and occasionally a few other less common critters. This is also a great opportunity to celebrate the work of Foster Care Coordinator Lori Mason (pictured).

Because of space limitations, pre-registration is necessary. Best to register ASAP to claim your seat. On Sunday, May 20, RASKC needs to give the restaurant an accurate count of the number of people attending.

Most guests are expected to pay for their own meals and beverages.  If, however, you are unable to pay but want to attend, please notify this volunteer. Foster volunteers will pool donations toward covering the cost of the meal. If you are up for helping to contribute toward the cost of a foster volunteer's meal, please contact this volunteer.

If you would like to do so, please donate a new item and/or a gift certificate for the door prize drawings. The door prize action has proven to be very fun at previous foster dinners, but it largely depends on enough prizes being donated. If you're up for helping out in this way, please contact Sarah L.

Congratulations to Acting Shelter Sergeants Marcy Goldstone and Kate Cataldo, who were recently promoted into their new positions. This month the eNews spotlight shines on Sergeant Marcy.

Tell us about yourself. I was born in southern Georgia, and I grew up as an Army brat. I’ve lived in four countries, and I've traveled through all but seven states. I love connecting with new people and critters, and I find no greater gift than someone sharing a part of their own journey with me. I reside with five cats, a grumpy dog and a Bullsnake. I have a BFA in Visual Arts Education, a MA in Educational Leadership and Administration, and certifications in Animal Care and Control in Washington and Colorado, as well as national certification.

Why did you decide to work to help animals? In 2007 I lost my little boy to cancer. Five years later I decided that I needed some new perspective and purpose in my life. I moved to the Rockies and took what was supposed to be a very temporary position as an animal care tech, after being unable to find a teaching job (my previous career) in the middle of February. I found that working and problem-solving with pets and people going through hardships, (and in some cases, the most difficult time of their life), was incredibly rewarding. It gave me that new purpose in life that I was searching for. My background in teaching has been especially helpful, as much of what we do in Animal Services is education about responsible pet ownership.

What did you do prior to coming to RASKC? I began my journey with RASKC in 2016, as an Animal Control Officer (ACO) performing outreach and humane law enforcement in the field.  I recently accepted a position as an Acting Sergeant at the shelter. Prior to joining RASKC, I worked as an ACO for a police department in the suburbs of Denver. Before that I worked as an Animal Care Technician for a shelter high in the Rockies. And before all of that…I was a public middle school art teacher in eastern Virginia. I have been involved competitively with horses and dogs, as a hobby, for much of my life – my “diving board” into the field of Animal Services.

What does your work for RASKC involve? As a Shelter Sergeant, my primary role is to work alongside and support my incredible Animal Services team in efficiently helping wayward pets to find their (new or previous!) home, and ensure that pets in our community are safe and healthy. I enjoy being “in the trenches” with our pets and our people: our staff, our volunteers, and the community - and learning from all! My door is always open!

What is the best part about your job? Finding empathetic and creative solutions for pets and their people tops the list! I love the challenges that each new day brings. Every family’s story is different. The goal is always to meet people and pets wherever they are at, whatever they are facing – and find the resources to address the situation. Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to hand-craft positive outcomes for all, even in the face of sadness and uncertainty; that passion is invigorating and inspiring to walk into each morning.

What do you do when you’re not at work? I am a lifelong learner, and enjoy seeking out new experiences. On the weekend, I can be found backpacking through the wilderness or along the coast, learning a new home improvement or visual arts skill, working on academic pursuits…or trying out a new dish.  I enjoy making new friends – both two and four legged – along the way!

Please share a story about an experience with a great volunteer. There are many difficult days as an Animal Services employee that can leave you feeling sad and frustrated. Being around the enthusiasm and dedication of all of our volunteers – whether they are tackling the mountain of dishes and blankets in the feed room, brightening the day of one of our longer term residents, nursing one of our weak critters back to a healthy spot in life, or advocating for the organization in one of the hundreds of other ways out in the community – can turn that bad day right around. There is always an uplifting story waiting to be shared when I come in!

Thanks to volunteers Miriam Wittig and Heather Friesen and to Animal Care Technician Nileen Garrett for participating in the new Early Morning Cat Crew overview video (less than five minutes), created by Animal Care Technician Adam Winston.

Volunteer Gatherings this month drew a great turnout. Earlier this month over 40 Shelter Helpers and volunteers from Early Morning Cat Crew and Cat Meet-and-Greet came together to meet each other and the new shelter sergeants at events on April 4 and April 14.

Fundraiser goal achieved: Thanks to so many of you who contacted foster volunteer Melissa Blake about participating in the Seattle International Beer Festival fundraiser July 7-8. Over 80 people signed up to help out, so RASKC's Angel Fund will likely receive $4,000 later this year. Hurray!

Congratulations to Michelle Canzano, who is a RASKC foster who was named Volunter of the Year by South County Cats (SCC). She serves as SCC's foster coordinator.