Meet Liza and Clara! RASKC is very pleased to honor Liza Tewell and her adult daughter Clara Koch, who have been fostering our animals every year for the past 13 years or so. They have contributed more than 6,000 foster hours so far. Foster Care Coordinator Lori Mason said, “Liza and Clara are both very sweet and love the puppies!”

To read an interview with Liza and Clara, go to our website or blog.

If you are interested in becoming a foster volunteer, RASKC is ready to onboard you. Click here and scroll down to the Getting Started section. Click on the plus sign (+), then watch training modules #1, #2, and #4 and answer the quiz questions. Complete an online application (only one application per household). If you are an adult, complete RASKC’s liability waiver, then send as an attachment to RASKC.Paperwork@kingcounty.gov. We look forward to working with you!

Meet Kayla! RASKC is super happy to present Kayla Moznette with RASKC’s Exceptional Youth Volunteer recognition. She and her dad Mitch have been helping RASKC cats at our Kirkland location on regular shifts since 2015.

Kayla will be a senior at Eastlake High School in the fall. She already attends Bellevue College fulltime through the Running Start program. 

One of the most notable moments from Kayla’s volunteering is when she and her family adopted a RASKC cat whom they met while volunteering. This cat is now known as Maple and has her own Instagram account- @sweet_maple.syrup.

Kayla also manages the Instagram account for Feline Friends of Sammamish (FFS). During normal times, Kayla provides weekly cat care at Sammamish Petco for FFS, which she has done since 2015! Feline Friends of Sammamish partners with the Lewis County Animal Shelter.

Mitch describes his daughter in this way: “Kayla is amazing. She is conscientious, responsible, helpful, kind, passionate about animals, and is always looking to help. I am so proud of the person Kayla has become and am excited for what the future holds for her.”

Kayla describes Mitch in this way, “My dad has always been so supportive of me, and he’s the reason I started volunteering. He encouraged my love of animals by giving me the opportunity to volunteer. I’ve always appreciated how hardworking and dedicated he is and how he still continues to volunteer, even though I’m now able to volunteer by myself.”

Mitch is an achiever too. His employer T-Mobile presented Mitch with the highest recognition- PEAK award, which included a five-day all-expense trip to Hawaii. T-Mobile donates $10 for every hour that Mitch volunteers- resulting in over $2,000 in donations so far from T-Mobile to RASKC for Mitch’s volunteering!

Kayla and Mitch, who are Redmond residents, said, “We love volunteering on the morning shift. The cats are always so happy to see us (and get their breakfast!). We love volunteering at RASKC and are so grateful to have such an amazing opportunity and be able to help care for so many different animals. It really is sometimes the best part of my day. It's so rewarding getting to see the animals that we helped care for get adopted and hear about how they’re doing in their new homes.”

RASKC feels so rewarded by Kayla’s and Mitch’s service!

The mobile pet-food bank that RASKC participates in will be bringing supplies to Redmond this Wednesday, July 22. Yesterday we brought lots of items and good cheer to Renton. For details on the mobile pet-food bank events, check our website.

The mobile pet-food bank events are organized by a partnership consisting of RASKC, Seattle Humane, Seattle Animal Shelter, Auburn Valley Humane, Pasado’s Safe Haven, and Washington State University.

The partnership’s mobile pet-food bank serves many communities. Supplies have been brought to Auburn, Enumclaw, Maple Valley, North Bend, Rainier Beach, Tukwila, and White Center so far. We will visit other cities and neighborhoods too.

We hope to come near your home sometime soon!

RASKC’s partnership with Pets for Patriots recently matched Army soldier Robert and his family with Rocky, a 90-pound German Shephard from our shelter.

The story of Robert’s journey to Rocky is endearingly recounted in this article. Because Rocky’s new home is located near an artillery impact range, the dog initially displayed anxiety. The article describes how this challenge was effectively resolved. Rocky now relaxes with his new family, in addition to playing fetch and going on walks and rides. Rocky also provides comfort to Robert and Danielle’s young daughter who contends with behavioral issues and ADHD.

RASKC has been partnering with Pets for Patriots since 2013. We offer a 10% discount on adoption fees through this partnership.

RASKC cats who temporarily reside at Reber Ranch prior to being adopted will soon enjoy an improvement in their accommodations. RASKC received a donated set of super nice cat condos that we just installed at the store.

Interim Animal Services Coordinator Emily Ruppert said, “We appreciate Tiger Mountain Veterinary Clinic for thinking of their local animal shelter to rehome their kitty condos.  We are utilizing them as an upgrade at our Reber Ranch partner store.”

RASKC has maintained a partnership with Reber Ranch for more than 10 years. During the past 10 years over 1,000 of our cats and kittens have met their new families at the store.

Thank you, Tiger Mountain Veterinary Clinic (Issaquah) and Reber Ranch (Kent)!

If you would like to make a special donation to support RASKC’s efforts with the pet-food banks, please donate gift cards.

If you would like to make a special donation to RASKC, please click here for our wish list on Amazon.

Our dog program would love to receive long leads, about 20- 50 feet or longer. 

Our foster program would love to receive meat-based Gerber baby food; kitten playpens at least four feet across with zippers (not Velcro); snuggle kitties with a battery-generated heartbeat; Miracle Nipples, both sizes; and pet food or cat litter for our Pet Treasure Chest.

For more information about donations or in-kind gifts, visit the Donations page on our website.

Silvia Reyes has been working as an Animal Control Officer at RASKC for over a year. She brings a wealth of experience. RASKC is very happy that she moved to Washington state and joined our staff.

Tell us about yourself. I am 25 years old. I grew up in southern California. My partner, our pets, and I moved to Washington in February 2019. Neither my partner nor I had ever been to the state. We picked Washington on a whim and moved a little over a month later. So far we really enjoy our new home state.

Our dog Nora is a four year-old brown and white boxer-beagle mix. My partner, who had worked in animal control, rescued Nora in response to a dumped-dog call. My cat Torviin is also four years old. He is an orange and white tabby.

I’m proud of working in this line of work and for having started at such a young age. I have always worked alongside people older than me. Being someone who did not have the economic means or family support to pursue a higher education, I am very proud to have gotten as far as I am today in my career and hold my own with those far more experienced and who are more formally educated than myself.

Why did you decide to work at an agency that helps animals? I enjoy helping animals and people who do not always have the means to help themselves. I’ve worked in animal care and related fields for the last 10 years. I love working in the field and wanted to continue the line of work.

What did you do prior to coming to RASKC? I worked as an Animal Control Officer for the San Gabriel Valley. I also briefly worked at a vet clinic in the Renton/ Newcastle area when I first moved here.

What does your work for RASKC involve? Responding to reports of animal cruelty, negligence, or violations of law regarding King county’s animal code. Educating the public on animal welfare and local animal laws. Performing welfare checks.  Assisting with aggressive and dangerous domestic animals. Transporting strays.  Assisting police and fire with animal related matters in their work. Providing community outreach and assistance when needed and able, and so forth.

What is the best part about your job? The fast-paced nature of the work, being able to work with animals, building a relationship with people who have always hated any and all levels of law enforcement, and seeing a poor situation result in a positive outcome.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work? I’m a homebody. I like to hike, take my dog out, and play video games. 

Fun fact? I was a cheerleader for almost 12 years!

Meet Bert! He is a three year-old gray and white shorthair tabby (ID #A614766). Bert was brought to RASKC by a Good Samaritan last month.

Bert has a “blue” personality. This means that he is a gentle and loving cat who likes to take things slowly. Bert would do best in a calm and quiet home. He may get nervous in new situations, so Bert is looking for a family who understands that he might need some time to warm up. Once Bert gets to know you, he will be a very devoted friend! You might find that when you pet Bert gently on the nose, he will knead and softly purr. Bert can also be independent and like to do “his own thing.” He likes to find hiding spots and to get attention on his own terms. Bert is beginning to learn how nice people can be.    

This cat is neutered, current on vaccinations, and microchipped. His adoption also comes with a free visit to the veterinarian of your choice, and 30 days of opt-in pet insurance through Trupanion.

You can find out more about Bert on RASKC’s website at www.kingcounty.gov/adoptapet. Scroll down the page and insert Bert’s name. You may meet this cat and up to two other animals by scheduling an appointment through our website. If you need assistance, contact us at 206-296-7347 (PETS), pets@kingcounty.gov.