There’s No Place Like Home

Story by: Jennifer Vaughan, Photos by Kelsey Wagner

Northern Oklahoma Humane Society settles into forever home

The world has certainly had a rough start to facility truly is state 2020 with the Australian bush fires, threats of of the art. With a toWW3, and now the Coronavirus, but 2020 is tal capacity now of Northern Oklahoma Humane Society’s new beyond a doubt the best year yet for our hu105, the NOKHS has state-of-the-art facility is officially open to mane society. The Ponca City Humane Society was formed in 1958 and operated out of pribroadened its rescue scope tremendously. visitors at 900 West Prospect Ave. vate homes and veterinary clinics during its first few decades. In 1992, the humane society that Along with the new facility comes new execboard vice president Ashley Peitz. In addition to local Millennials have known their entire lives utive director, Ashley Villinesa. “As a Ponca City volunteers, donations of Science Diet dog and was built at 900 West Prospect. The $160,000 native, I’m so excited to take the Northern Oklacat food, collars, dog/cat shampoo, toys, bath facility was able to house 40 dogs and 20 cats. homa Humane Society to the next level as an towels, kitty litter, and liquid laundry detergent A massive 1.6-million-dollar remodel, and exorganization. We’ve got lots of new programs are also needed, as well as monetary donations pansion project began in April of 2019. The and exciting opportunities to get the communito help with growing costs due to capacity inPonca City Humane Society officially opened ty involved with what we’re doing for the homecrease. its new doors in March of 2020 as the Northern less animals of northern Oklahoma.” Ashley’s Oklahoma Humane Society, or NOKHS. During passion for the cause is apparent as she shares construction planning, board president Chuck about all of the new programs and opportuPhotos by Kelsey Wagner Greenwood visited over 21 different humane nities at the shelter, including a reading prosocieties across the country to ensure that this gram where school students grades 1st-8th can come and read to the animals. Studies have shown that reading out loud is beneficial NOKHS Executive Director Ashley Villinesa for reading improvement, and many chilenjoys some puppy socialization and you can too when you volunteer! dren are too shy to read out loud in front of humans. This program is meant to help socialize the animals and improve reading skills among local students. Seniors for Seniors is another newly implemented program designed to encourage senior citizens to relax and spend time with senior animals in the new facility’s Cuddle Club area.

NOKHS Executive Director Ashley Villinesa enjoys some puppy socialization and you can too when you volunteer!

Photo by Kelsey Wagner

With the current rescue capacity nearly doubled and over 1,000 animals taken in each year, the greatest need for NOKHS currently is volunteers. “We love how much our great community supports us and often get asked about volunteer opportunities. We have a very real need for volunteers and many different opportunities to choose from, such as dog walking, dog and cat socialization, assisting with the adoption process, volunteering to help with our new Birthday “Pawty” program, and more.” said NOKHS

The Northern Oklahoma Humane Society is located at 900 West Prospect and is open Tuesday through Friday from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and Saturday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. All animals are spayed/neutered and receive all appropriate shots before being adopted out. Adoption applications, donations, and volunteer inquiries can be made on-location or online at www.pchumane.org.