Puppies transferred from SCRAPS
Earlier this month, SCRAPS reached out to SHS about a litter of nine mixed breed puppies. Foster Coordinator Amanda Smith happily agreed to intake four puppies, Soy, Almond, Oat, and Cashew, and the other five were transferred to SpokAnimal. Due to our foster care program’s capacity, we were able to take in four of the puppies! With more foster homes, we will be able to help more animals in need, sign up to foster HERE.
Animals in foster include underage animals, pregnant animals, animals that may be ill, injured, frightened, in need of training, or animals that simply need a break from the shelter.
Young puppies and kittens require a foster home for many reasons:
The following information is from A Complete Guide to the Stages of Puppy Development
- at around 3-5 weeks of age, play becomes important for puppies as they become aware of their surroundings.
- at around 4-12 weeks of age, puppies’ interactions with people become influential, they develop social skills, and they learn how to play.
- at around 5-7 weeks of age, puppies need positive human interaction.
- at around 7-9 weeks of age, puppies can begin housetraining.
- at around 8-10 weeks of age, puppies can experience real fear involving everyday objects.
Cashew and Soy
Not only are puppies at a crucial age for learning and training, but they are too young for vaccinations and spay/neuter surgeries. SHS ensures the safety and health of all underage animals by providing them a temporary home offsite. SHS doesn’t intake any underage animals unless there is space in the foster program or there are emergency circumstances. If needed, we have a few kennels, separated from K1 and K2 that can be used for young pups.
Let’s take a look at all the puppies SHS helped in December 2023:
Four-month-old mixed breed pups Dingo, Jackel, Coyote, Hyena, and Wolfie were strays before arriving at SHS. These puppies were old enough to receive vaccinations so after they received their spay/neuter surgeries, they were transferred to PetSmart Northpointe.
Almond
Tater and Russet, two-month-old Black Labrador Retriever mixes. These babies were transferred from SCRAPS and immediately placed in foster until they were old enough for vaccinations and surgeries. When they were ready for adoption, they were transferred to BARK, A Rescue Pub.
Charlie Brown, Sally Brown, Peppermint Patty, and Snoopy were three-month-old mixed breed puppies surrendered by their breeder. Make sure you’re following @spokhumanesoc on Instagram for a chance to name our intakes, just like this litter; we made a poll, and you voted!
Cookie, a ten-month-old mixed breed was found as a stray and then transferred to SHS.
Wakini, a four-month-old Great Pyrenees Shepherd mix was an owner surrender because she had too much puppy energy and wasn’t the right fit for the family.
Ariat, Carhartt, REI, Wrangler, Levi were a recent intake. These puppies were placed in foster care until they were old enough for vaccinations and surgeries. Ariat and Wrangler were adopted from BARK, A Rescue Pub this past weekend.
Sunny, an eight-month-old Pit Bull Terrier, was transferred to BARK, A Rescue Pub when he was ready for adoption.
Cashew and Almond headed into foster care with matching pajamas
This overflow of puppies is not just in Spokane, but all over Washington state. Grant County Animal Outreach brought ten puppies to SHS in late November. Read the story HERE.
Without our foster program, we wouldn’t be able to help so many puppies in need. Please consider applying to be a foster, HERE.
In the next few weeks, SHS is expected to have two litters coming in from community members and another transfer from GCAO.
Now you may be wondering: is SHS only intaking puppies? The answer is no; we are adapting our intake to what our community needs which, for now, is a lot of puppies! Of course, we are still intaking adult and senior animals, as well.
Some recent, non-puppy, intakes are:
4-year-old Tess
6-year-old Daisy
4-year-old Titan (recently adopted)
Spaying/neutering your pets is important because it reduces the number of accidental litters being born which will help Spokane’s puppy problem. As much as we love puppies and helping them find forever homes, we hope to support our community by providing a spay/neuter clinic at our onsite veterinarian clinic. Find more information HERE.
View all adoptable animals HERE.
