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.

vision

The vision of Spokane Humane Society is to enrich the lives of companion animals through Support, Education, Advocacy and Love (SEAL).

mission

Since 1897, Spokane Humane Society continues to provide wellness, medical care, shelter, and placement into loving homes for companion animals in need through foster care, adoptions, community education, and outreach.

history

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.

board of directors

Maria Walker
Board Chair, President
Professional: Managing Broker, Real Estate | Maria Walker Real Estate, LLC | Windermere Manito, LLC
Committees: Chair - Executive, Board Development, Property, Chair - Annual Development (FurrBall), Personnel, Risk Management, Finance Committee, Ad-hoc By-Laws & BOD Manual Review
Brian Schlect
Board Vice President
Professional: Deputy General Counsel & Assistant Corporate Secretary, PotlatchDeltic Corporation
Committees: Finance, Property Development & Building, By-Laws/Board Manual Review and Revisions
Judie Wozniak
Board Secretary
Professional: CFO, The Broadway Group
Committees: Executive, Chair - Board Development, Property Committee, Chair - Personnel, Risk Management, Finance Committee, Chair - Ad-hoc By-Laws & BOD Manual Review
Mark Buening
Board Treasurer
Professional: Retired, Spokane Department of Parks and Recreation | Finance and Budget Director
Committees: Executive, Board Development, Property Committee, Personnel, Risk Management, Chair - Finance, Ad-hoc By-Laws & BOD Manual Review
Annie Townsend
Board Director
Professional: Classification Counselor 3, Airway Heights Corrections Center
Committees: Executive, Board Development, Property, Annual Development (FurrBall), Personnel, Risk Management, Finance, Ad-hoc By-Laws & BOD Manual Review
Shannon Dunckel
Board Director
Professional: Co-Owner, LeJends | National CPG brokerage firm
Committees: Chair - Risk Management, Finance, Chair – Ad-hoc – Paw Park
Mark Barnes
Board Director
Professional: Retired Principal, National Furniture
Committees: Chair – Property
Eowen Rosentrater
Board Director
Professional: Principal, Eowen Rosentrater Attorneys
Committees: Property, Risk Management
Robin Betz
Board Director
Committees: Shelter Improvements

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