Meet Karen & Jonah! RASKC is profoundly pleased to honor Karen Tyler and her adult son Jonah Wilson as Volunteers of the Month.

Last year their household contributed the most number of foster hours of any RASKC volunteer household- over 3,600 hours in 2019: Absolutely amazing! When we add their foster hours through last month, Karen and Jonah’s overall contribution adds up to nearly 9,000 foster hours just since 2018!!! Additionally Karen spent hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars last year toward making and contributing three sets of the most incredible Thanksgiving stuffies to RASKC. Each set was comprised of finely crafted fabric turkeys and pumpkins, an actual mini-bale of hay, plus a super clever written narrative.

To read an interview with Karen and Jonah, go to our website or blog.

Meet Jaia! RASKC is enormously happy to honor Jaia Pradia with Exceptional Youth recognition. She is 18 years old, studies zoology in college, and aspires to be like Steve Irwin- who was an activist for animals and the environment. Jaia dreams of owning her own sanctuary to help nurse animals back to health.

Jaia has been fostering a variety of RASKC pets since 2019. So far, she has contributed more than 1,325 hours: Fantastic dedication!

Jaia wrote, “With fostering I like being able to see their personalities blossom. Each animal definitely has their own persona. For example, fostering my first bunny was such a joy. I also volunteer for a horse rescue. I love animals of all sizes."

She added, "I have a Yorkie, named Cloe. When people say owners and their pets look and act like them, it is completely true. We both love to take naps by the fireplace or somewhere warm. Cloe likes to sunbathe when the sun is out as well. She loves to eat just like me. Cloe is my mini me.

"I’m so proud to be a mixed African American who has a passion for all animals. I never grew up seeing a lot of representation of people like me, but I now know they are out there. It was hard going through life not seeing anyone who looked like me with the same passion.

"Being around animals is truly my happy place. In additional to animals, I love the arts. I played the violin since fifth grade, and I’ve been drawing ever since I could hold a pencil!”

Thank you for providing such a happy place for so many RASKC animals, Jaia!

Meet Diane & James! RASKC is absolutely delighted to honor Diane Anderson and her adult son James as Outstanding New Volunteers. They started last year with fostering and providing animal transport. Additionally, in pre-COVID times, James worked a weekly shift as a Shelter Helper. Diane had just completed training as a Cat Meet & Greet volunteer on the eve of the pandemic. So far, Diane and James together have contributed over 1,700 hours to RASKC.

Diane wrote, “We do the best we can to give these kittens and puppies the best start with lots of love and then send them on to their forever homes. I love it. It’s so rewarding."

She added, "Our sweet orange tabby Loki thinks he’s the foster kittens’ parent when they come to stay with us. He will take care of grooming them and playing with them. They usually end up curled up sleeping right next to him.

"I have a very close-knit family with my son, parents, and siblings. And faith in God is a very important part of my life.

"We recently bought a house on the eastside in Tacoma. I have been able to catch several stray cats in the neighborhood, get them fixed, and released back. My neighbor and I take turns buying the food to feed the cats, so they are well taken care of. This has been very therapeutic since COVID has been here and has limited our volunteering at the shelter. I look forward to when my son and I can volunteer in person at the shelter again.”

RASKC looks forward to when Diane, James, and other volunteers return to scheduled shifts too : )

Interim Animal Services Coordinator Emily Ruppert led a delightful online session “Cat Chats: Ask RASKC- Understanding Cat Behavior” for over 50 people last weekend as part of King County Covington Library’s Meow Fest 4.

Last summer RASKC partnered with the library for Expecto PAWtronum, a Harry Potter-themed pet showcase, which drew more than 45 participants.

Emily said, “These are such great opportunities to connect with kids. Teaching them about interacting with animals is one of the best parts of my job, because I know that it will improve the next generation in animal welfare.”

Librarian Elenya Herring wrote, “The Covington Library has been partnering with RASKC since 2017. We originally chose RASKC, because we wanted to work with organizations in our local community. We've continued partnering with RASKC because of staff's demonstrated knowledge, how wonderful they are to work with, and the fantastic feedback we've gotten from the community. I'm incredibly grateful to RASKC for our ongoing partnership - it has helped us connect our community with important information and resources and to connect our community's homeless critters with loving homes!”

RASKC loves to receive updates from adoptive families. Here’s one from Kathleen W.:

“I would love other people to know about my cat Sadie and the happiness she brings to me every day. When I held Sadie at RASKC’s adoption table at Meow Fest 3 at the Covington library in 2018, I knew I was ready for a new kitty friend. I also adopted my previous cat Rosanne from RASKC. She was a medium hair dilute calico, who was a year old when I adopted her in 2002. We had 14 years together. She passed away in 2016. Losing her was tough. I wasn't sure I would ever want another cat. And then I fell in love with Sadie two years later. Sadie brings me so much joy. Thank you and everyone at RASKC.”

It warms our hearts to receive updates about people and RASKC pets who bring love to each other through adoption. If you have a story to share, please send us an email with photos to pets@kingcounty.gov. Thanks! 

Last month King County employees contributed over $2.3 million to a wide range of non-profit organizations, as part of the county’s annual Employee Giving Program (EGP) drive.

Several RASKC employees proudly contributed to this effort to help communities in need. The department that includes RASKC- Records and Licensing- had greater participation this year than ever before. 

County employees were given a choice of about 1,240 organizations to donate to, including 116 organizations in the animals category. RASKC’s Pet Benefit Donation Fund was listed as one of the choices, which many county employees contributed to.

We appreciate everyone’s generosity!

When the Seattle Animal Shelter received an influx of over 200 animals as part of a cruelty investigation a couple of months ago, their foster capacity became strained. So the Seattle Animal Shelter asked if RASKC foster volunteers might help. About 20 RASKC volunteers responded to this appeal.

RASKC has long enjoyed a very cooperative relationship with the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) for many years.

Thanks to all the RASKC volunteers who helped SAS recently.

Onward with ever more successful collaborations!

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.

Meet Florence! She works at RASKC as an Animal Care Technician (ACT) since last July. We are so happy that Florence made her way to us. She brings terrific experience.

Tell us about yourself. I grew up in rural Washington and have lived in different places across the United States. I now live in SeaTac with my partner and favorite human, Scout. We are lucky enough to share our home with two dogs, four cats, six chickens, one hedgehog, as well as a tank of snails and fish!

Here’s what’s especially important to me: Community, equality, social justice, and compassion. Libraries and education. I want humans and animals to be able to live their best lives, with access to the resources they need to be successful.

I am a proud queer woman. I am so thankful for my ancestors and elders who fought and won so many battles with passion and heart, so I could be where I am today.

Why did you decide to work at an agency that helps animals? I started working in animal care at the age of 12, cleaning kennels for the family vet. I’ve always found animal care to be incredibly rewarding and a huge motivating force in my life.

What did you do prior to coming to RASKC? I worked for Multnomah County Animal Services and the Oregon Humane Society. While I worked full time at the Oregon Humane Society, I attended an American Library Association accredited program. I graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. It was a lot of hard work, and I’m really proud of that accomplishment. In addition to being a RASKC ACT, I am also a Certified Library and Media Assistant!

What does your work for RASKC involve?  My day-to-day involves lots of cleaning, interacting with and caring for the needs of the animals under my coworkers’ and my supervision, and assisting the public with resources- whether that be assistance in keeping or redeeming an animal, King County policies, finding an animal companion, or any of the other myriad of things that can come up in a day! I try to be very flexible with my expectations.

What is the best part about your job? The team that I work with and the feeling of accomplishment I get from working with and helping animals.

What do you like to do when you’re not at work? I love to spend time at home with my family. I spend a lot of time reading, baking, writing, and working on various art projects.

Fun facts? My main areas of independent study involve sharks, cephalopods, and circus sideshow history.

I once won a haiku contest in an Albuquerque newspaper. I can literally write a haiku for any occasion. Here’s one for RASKC:

The dogs love us, but

the cats always knew we were

here just to serve them.

Meet Rex! He is an eight-year-old domestic short hair brown tabby with white coloring (ID #A65307). Rex is the shy and sensitive type, who likes to burrow under a hidey den. Once you begin petting him slowly and gently, Rex will often rub into your hand. At that point Rex wants you to give him chin and neck scratches. He has piercing green eyes and beautiful long whiskers, contributing to his handsome demeanor.

Rex’s personality color is blue. This means he likes to take things slowly. He may get nervous in new situations, so he is looking for a patient family who understands that Rex needs time to warm up. Once he gets to know you, Rex will be a devoted family member.

Rex needs your love to help him through some medical conditions. He has a heart murmur. Poor Rex has increased renal values, which means his kidneys are challenged. Best to visit a veterinarian right away upon adoption.

Rex‘s adoption comes with a free visit to the veterinarian of your choice and 30 days of opt-in pet insurance through Trupanion. Rex is litterbox trained, neutered, current on vaccinations, and microchipped.   

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

King County encourages people to apply on or before Tuesday, January 7, to serve in a countywide Equity Cabinet. The Equity Cabinet will partner with and advise ways the county might align its policies, practices, and outcomes align with intentions to lead with equity, social, and racial justice.

The Equity Cabinet will be comprised of 12- 15 members, who will facilitate the County’s commitment to lead with racial justice and invest in partnerships that can steadily inform and influence the County’s decision-making toward defining and achieving equitable outcomes. 

Cabinet members will contribute about three to five hours per month. They will participate in monthly meetings and periodic work groups, and they will review meeting materials. Cabinet members will be compensated for their time. Additionally when COVID-related restrictions are lifted, the Cabinet will hold at least four community-based meetings each year.

Please read the full Request for Candidates and instructions on how to apply at the Equity and Social Justice website.