The ‘Tail’ of Woods Humane Society

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Rory in front of Woods prior to his adoption Woods Humane Society has been a staple in animal adoptions for San Luis Obispo (SLO) County since it was founded in 1955 by Frances Newhall Woods, who opened up her Nipomo property as a form of animal control and adoption services. In 1975, Woods switched its focus entirely to sheltering adoptable dogs and cats.

“In 1961, the shelter moved to San Luis Obispo, and then to its current SLO location in 2005. On Jan. 1, 2017, Woods Humane Society merged with North County Humane Society, now called Woods Humane Society- North County, which continues to provide shelter and adoption opportunities for cats and kittens,” said Woods’s communications manager, Jamie Relth.

In November 2018, the Woods Humane Society-North County expanded its campus to include the first-ever public spay and neuter clinic (the Daphne Fahsing Spay & Neuter Clinic) in the county.

“We are currently in the early stages of planning the next expansion in North County, which will include a completely redesigned, state-of-the-art cattery and adoption center, as well as the expanded ability to offer humane education and dog adoption services in North County,” added Jamie.

If you’re looking for a fun way to support Woods Humane Society in April, the 14th annual Wine4Paws event is taking place over the weekend of April 9 and 10. Over 75 local wineries will participate and donate a portion of their proceeds to Woods. Go to Wine4Paws.com for all the details.

With an estimated 70 million homeless pets in the US, each adoption story at Woods puts a smile on our faces. Their adoptable dogs and cats are also spayed and neutered before going home with their new owners.

“By adopting, you help save not just that one animal from homelessness, but you open up shelter space for another pet in need, many of which are transferred to us from regional shelters that are chronically overcrowded and forced to euthanize animals due to lack of space,” continued Jamie.

Two such adoptable pet’s “got you” stories were shared by Relth.

Sequoia, one of the 1,467 unowned community cats in the area, was brought in when a Good Samaritan saw her limping and brought her into Woods. She benefited from Woods Humane Society’s Project M.E.O.W., a subsidized veterinary care fund that enables Trap-Neuter-Return efforts. The Woods team treated her broken leg, as well as low-cost spay and vaccinations. When Sequoia healed, she found a forever home with one of Woods’ very own staff members.

Rory, a handsome husky mix transferred to Woods last fall, and when tear staining around his left eye was spotted. Rory had a condition where the eyelashes on his lower lid turned inward. Woods was able to operate and restore his eyelid to normal, where soon after, he recovered quickly. The sweet pup got his big break when he was featured live on the evening news. Rory (now Reno) was so well-behaved that he was adopted by a family who already owned a husky, his now sister, Lucia.

His adopters shared, “Every sight and sound seem new to Reno and the poor guy eats like he doesn’t know where his next meal is coming from, but we are slowly but surely getting him to understand he’ll never be hungry again. We are forever grateful we are Reno’s forever home.”

Woods Humane Society’s adoption fees range from $65 to $200 and include spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, licenses, and flea (and other parasites) treatments.

“Adopters can arrange a free wellness exam with a local veterinarian after adopting and can opt to enroll in 30 days of pet health insurance at no cost. Many of our dogs also receive basic behavior training during their stay with us, which helps them acclimate to their adoptive homes. All told, Woods spends an average of $800 on each animal and regularly cares for 3,000 animals per year,” Jaime explained.

If adoption isn’t something you’re able to do, Jamie adds that spreading the word about Woods’ work and their adoptable animals is one way to go about it. As well as participating in events, fostering, donating, and volunteering at both locations.

To adopt your own pet, or find out more about Woods Humane Society, visit woodshumanesociety.org.