| | | | Meet Seattle Humane's new CEO Christopher Ross
Greetings to all of you amazing animal lovers following the great work taking place at Seattle Humane. I am so honored to work with this committed and talented staff who have welcomed me into this organization, now entering its 124th year as a leader in the animal welfare community.
In the weeks after accepting this position, I heard from hundreds of friends and associates. Many of them sharing how they found their beloved pet at our shelter — others who just wanted to say how envious they were! All of them told me the same thing — how fortunate I was, and how satisfying it must be to join this incredible organization dedicated to helping animals and the people who love them.
I come to Seattle Humane from Compass Housing Alliance, where I served as Chief Operations Officer. Compass operates many of the region's emergency shelters and services for people and their pets, in addition to owning and operating affordable low-income housing. It's an experience that prepared me well to appreciate the many community programs Seattle Humane has developed, launched and expanded this past year to ensure pets and their families in our community are able to stay together. In 2020 alone, Seattle Humane's Pet Food Bank provided over one million meals to pets in need. It's an astonishing number, and a stark reminder of the hardships so many pet owners are facing during this pandemic.
While I am excited to join team Seattle Humane as the new CEO, I do so with a heavy heart and much deference for the leadership of Paula Littlewood, the interim CEO who has made a lasting impact on this organization. Paula set a high bar here at Seattle Humane, leaving the organization reinvigorated and on course to do even more amazing work in the years ahead. I am so glad I was able to meet Paula, and that she put her confidence in me to lead Seattle Humane into the future.
In my first month, I am spending most of my time with the front-line staff, learning the many positions and touchpoints of the organization and the community. For now, I've barely scratched the surface in understanding the important work of Seattle Humane and the many ways it impacts the animal-loving community we serve. But it is a journey, and I am rolling up my sleeves and learning everything I can from the amazing and knowledgeable staff, and from each of YOU — it is your collective generosity and compassion for animals that makes all of this possible.
These are deeply challenging times. Times that reinforce the power of having the companionship and unconditional love of an animal in our lives to center us and remind us how important it is to have compassion in the world. As Seattle Humane enters 2021, we are resolutely committed to our mission of saving lives, completing families and keeping pets with the people who love them.
Onward,
Christopher Ross
New Year, New Gear!
Drumroll please! Seattle Humane merchandise is now available for purchase through our new online store! Show your love for rescues — dogs, cats and critters — on a shirt, mug or face mask! Proceeds from every purchase in our store directly support our work at Seattle Humane and the animals we care for every day. We're just getting started with our inventory — more fun and furry designs are on the way! Happy shopping!
Virtual Training Classes are Here!
Cooped up with an out-of-control pup? We're here to lend a paw with our just-launched virtual dog training classes! Registration is open now for single session seminars on five topics, with more topics and other classes to come.
Puppy Priorities — Housetraining, chewing, mouthing, home-alone training, and socialization.
Behavior Basics — The why and how of positive reinforcement training and dog body language. This is a great place to start and is an excellent complement to any of our other classes.
Shy and Fearful Dogs — Why dogs may be shy or fearful of people, other dogs, or in other situations. Tactics for helping dogs feel more comfortable and confident around the things that worry them.
Reactive Rover — Why dogs bark and lunge at other dogs while on leash, and what you can do to improve this behavior.
Dogs at Play — Canine behavior, greetings, play, and dog park safety and etiquette.
Check out our website for more details and for registration.
Pet Loss Support Group Moves to Zoom
Our Pet Loss Support Group has now moved to an online Zoom format. Structured in the same way as in-person sessions, the group's purpose is to support those grieving for an animal companion and educate them about the grief process.
If you've recently lost a pet or know someone who has, join our next session via Zoom on Jan. 22 at noon. A waiver must be signed and returned to participate in the Zoom session. For more information, email petloss@seattlehumane.org with VIRTUAL PLSG in the subject line. While we can't take the pain away, we're here to ensure you don't have to work through this alone.
Join us for Lunch Bytes, Thinking Outside the Box with Seattle Humane, a virtual luncheon on Feb. 11!
2020 and COVID-19 challenged us all to be innovative and creative. On Feb. 11, join us for an inside look at the outside-of-the-box innovations we've made to continue and improve our work at Seattle Humane! You'll hear from our new CEO Christopher Ross on the many changes we've made to expand our life-saving impact in the community. You'll also meet two amazing young women, alumni of our Humane Teen Club, working for passage of a Humane Pet Sales Bill in Olympia. Interested in fostering or wondering what to do about a pet with separation anxiety? Our best animal experts will be there to answer your pet-related questions!
Registration is free, learn more details here.
Senior Poodle's New Life as a Socialite
Sophie, a sweet senior poodle, had to have some teeth extracted and a benign mass removed after coming to us in early December. She was adopted Dec. 16 and now spends her days "being cute," according to her new mom.
"Sophie's doing great. She had her first vet appointment and has a clean bill of health. She's been busy going on walks, visiting neighborhood shops, and greeting every person she meets. She's an absolute joy to have in my life and I'm so lucky to have found her. Thank you to Kristen for being a great foster mom, and to everyone at Seattle Humane for all your hard work. Here's a sweet photo of her napping with her stuffed rhino." | | | |  | | Stay Connected     | | |
