Foster families help Grays Harbor shelter handle surprise puppy rush

PAWS of Grays Harbor fielded a late-breaking holiday surprise in the week running up to Christmas, as 11 puppies landed in their lap from various sources.

The shelter threw an improvised adoption event on Saturday, Christmas Eve Eve, and managed to find enough foster homes that they didn’t spend too long at the shelter, said executive director Anna Boeche in an interview.

“We got a call from a gentleman who found seven puppies in the woods. He was looking for help,” Boeche said. “We had a very large intake day with those dogs and some others. And a pregnant momma who had 9 puppies.”

Including the seven puppies found off a logging trail, four others were located or referred to the shelter, Boeche said. The nine recently whelped puppies are currently too young to foster out or adopt, Boeche said, but will be old enough soon.

“It kind of put us in a little bit of a panic. We decided to step in and help,” Boeche said. “We managed to get every single puppy into foster in one day so they had to spend only one night here.”

Ranging in names from Saké to Cotton Candy to a slew of puppies named after various nuts and more, the foster families stepped up, Boeche said.

“We had a lot of different fosters who were really supportive,” Boeche said. “They’ve been a wonderful group.”

Rapid work from shelter staff and a powerful response from the community made it possible, Boeche said.

“Everybody worked really hard to make it as smooth as possible,” Boeche said. “We’re just so grateful the community helped us get these puppies into homes instead of kennels. Socialization at this age is incredibly important.”

December is always busy, Boeche said. Last year saw a record tide.

“Last year in December we did 83 adoptions. That was our second highest adoptions in our 50-year history,” Boeche said. “This week tends to be our busiest week of the year.”

For those considering getting puppies during the holiday season, there’s always some caution to heed, Boeche said. Spaying, neutering, immunizations – the things that let animals lead long, healthy lives – cost money. Contacting a veterinarian to price things out is a prudent step, Boeche said.

“If they’re thinking about taking a puppy in, they should do their homework,” Boeche said. “Think about whether they have the time and energy to bring a new pup into the home.”

The shelter is always seeking donations, Boeche said, as well as adoption applicants. Plenty of the animals have spent long enough at the shelter as is, with the longest-residing dog, Jojo, there for more than eight months.

This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 7:20 PM with the headline "Foster families help Grays Harbor shelter handle surprise puppy rush."