Girls rally for needy pets

Scouts organize adoption fair

By Christian Hill | The Olympian • Published August 11, 2007

The Thurston County Animal Shelter received a helping hand Saturday in its effort to find loving owners for homeless pets.

Two Junior Girl Scouts organized an adoption fair to highlight the plight of the cats, dogs and birds housed at the Martin Way shelter and to raise money for them.

Rebekah Richter and Amanda Solberg, both 10, organized the fair to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the highest bestowed on a Junior Girl Scout. Junior Girl Scouts are ages 8-11; Girl Scouts are 11-17.

The girls, both animal lovers, said receiving the award is secondary to helping animals in need.

“We can’t wait to get the supplies for the animals,” Solberg said.

The girls had approached Animal Services, which operates the shelter, about their idea and then began planning for the five-hour fair.

“They basically had to do it themselves,” said Tamara Richter, Rebekah’s mother.

They approached local grocery stores, whose managers donated gift certificates the girls used to shop for food they sold at the fair. All proceeds will go to the purchase of supplies for the shelter. They publicized the event in The Olympian and on KGY Radio.

During the fair, the girls took pictures of the owners of newly adopted animals, charging $2 per photo to benefit the shelter. They also accepted donations of cash or supplies for the shelter.

Employees at the animal shelter said they appreciated the girls’ effort.

Deanna Johnson, Animal Services’ systems management officer, said the shelter receives 165 animals a week, including dogs, cats, birds and guinea pigs, and there are more animals than owners willing to adopt them.

“I think this is wonderful that they’re coming out here and doing this for us,” she said.

The girls raised about $170 for the shelter, and 17 animals were adopted during the fair, Tamara Richter said.

Christian Hill is a reporter for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5427 or chill@theolympian.com.