who we are
We are a private, non-profit serving the public by providing care, shelter, and placement into loving homes for neglected and unwanted animals in the greater Spokane area through pet adoptions.
For over a century, Spokane Humane Society has acted as a refuge for animals in peril by providing care, shelter, and placement for tens of thousands of lost, neglected and unwanted animals. Throughout the years we have served many functions and now focus on the care and placement of companion animals. For decades, we battled overcrowding and were forced to make life and death decisions based upon available kennel space. By mandate of Spokane Humane Society’s Board of Director’s in January 2006, SHS stopped euthanizing animals due to lack of space. Since then, we reached our goal of not euthanizing healthy, adoptable and treatable animals. We continue to improve overall animal health and have sustained a live release rate of more than 95 percent since 2008.
Care to do a little more digging on the history of Spokane Humane Society? Well, Nona Hengen wrote the book “In Pursuit of Compassion,” to celebrate our centennial in 1997. Contact us to order a copy.
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06.14.2025
Statement from the Spokane Humane Society Board of Directors
At Spokane Humane Society, the safety and well-being of our paid staff and volunteers are our highest priority. In that regard, we are committed to maintaining a workplace free from harassment, intimidation, and threats – a right that belongs to any person in any workplace. We have promoted these interests through adopting an anti-harassment policy, which is designed to protect our paid staff and our volunteers from offensive name-calling, stalking, threats, electronic harassment, and the use of profanity and slurs, among other things, in the course of their service to Spokane Humane Society.
Recently, individuals from the general public served by Spokane Humane Society have engaged in defamatory personal attacks, used abusive language, stalked, and harassed (including electronic harassment) members of our staff and Board. Not only are these activities wrong, and in some instances unlawful, but they also compromise our staff’s ability to devote their full energy to care for the animals that are in our charge. As a result, these activities have been and will continue to be reported to law enforcement. We will also take any other legal measures necessary to protect our people and our property, ensuring that our staff and volunteers can work in an environment that is free from intimidation, harassment, and threats.
Spokane Humane Society is honored to serve the people and animals of the Inland Northwest. As such, we welcome the opportunity to have respectful and open dialogue with members of the public. Anyone having questions or concerns are welcome to share them with the Board of Directors by emailing spokanehumanesocietyboard@gmail.com.
Respectfully,
Maria Walker
Board Chair on Behalf of the Board of Directors
Spokane Humane Society