BELLEVUE, Wash. — Seattle was a very different place in 1897. The Klondike Gold Rush reached Seattle and the area was booming.
Believe it or not, that’s the same time Seattle Humane was founded. This week, the nonprofit is celebrating 125 years of saving lives and completing families.
“One hundred and twenty-five years is worthy of week long party!” exclaimed Brandon Macz with Seattle Humane.
Seattle Humane has grown like a litter of puppies and honors their humble beginnings. The organization started by advocating for animals in stockyards and slaughterhouses and was the sole animal control agency for King County until the 1970s.
A massive renovation project took nearly two years to complete and opened in 2017 with a state-of-the-art animal shelter and veterinary facility with support and resources for thousands of pet owners.
Seattle Humane officially turned 125 on September 15. The annual day of giving is scheduled for Sept. 16.
“We love adopting out animals, but those fees don’t pay the bills for this amazing facility so we really do count on our donors to continue,” said Macz.
The goal is $175,000, with 90% of revenue coming from donations.
“We’ve really seen an increase in the need for our services like the Pet Food bank,” said Macz.
The Pet Food Bank has supplies like bowls and beds as well and is always in need of items like cat litter.
Seattle Humane is hosting it’s public birthday party on Sept. 17 and the “rescue squad” invites the public to help them continue the lifesaving work with donations during their open house on Saturday from 10-12 p.m. and offers family fun like the “kitten cuddle booth.” Anyone who brings a pet food donation will be entered to win a $500 gift card.
Seattle Humane asks that visitors leave their pets at home so they can celebrate their furry guests. Yes, there will be cake for people and pets!