Bella was abandoned in Forks, WA, a quiet, playful, well-trained young pit bull who loves peoples and gets along with other dogs and cats. But Bella arrived at Homeward Pet with both back legs injured, making it painful to run and uncomfortable to just sit. She'll need major surgery to repair two torn ACL's.

Chelsea is a 1-year old Shepherd mix who loves to run and play. But due to genetics or a traumatic injury early in life, Chelsea can't get the exercise she needs without a long, limping recovery. She'll need 3 surgical procedures to repair her misaligned knee.

Every day at Homeward Pet, we see animals who have survived unimaginable hardships – a homeless mother cat trying her best to care for her kittens, a dog who lived his whole life tethered to a chain, animals abandoned by their once-loving families – but nothing is more difficult seeing than a dog or cat forced to live in pain from an untreated medical problem. That's why Homeward Pet is dedicated to providing the best care we can for the animals in our care.

We've established Whoopi's Fund for just such cases. With your help and contributions, this new Homeward Pet program will pay for necessary and emergency surgeries, assist in providing low-cost spay and neuter services, and improve the lives of animals at Homeward Pet Adoption Center and in our community. Whoopi was a Homeward Pet rescue adopted in her senior years by Peggy Noll, Homeward Pet's Community Development Director, and Whoopi's Fund has been set up in honor of her beautiful black lab, “I know that in the end, Whoopi had a great life. The kind of life we want all dogs and cats to have when they leave the care of Homeward Pet. This is her way of helping homeless dogs and cats.”

Typically, a pit bull needing major surgery is facing euthanasia; a Shepherd requiring a $3500 procedure may be forced to go without the surgery that could improve her quality of life. But Bella and Chelsea have Homeward Pet, and all of the great people – donors, volunteers, foster families – who support them and us.

With your donation to Whoopi's Fund, we can do everything possible to return these dogs, and many more animals, to healthy, happy, pain-free lives.

The program is named after long time Homeward Pet staff dog, Whoopi, whose guardian - Peggy - shares with us her story of rescue:

"Throughout my years here at Homeward Pet, I have helped with the rescue, fostering and care of many of our shelter animals. When I read the story about Whoopi, a Homeward Pet rescue, I could not resist taking her home. She had spent her life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on a chain behind a house with very little interaction. She was a 10 year old senior who deserved a better life.”

For five short years as Whoopi's guardian, my life was enriched with many happy, playful and fun memories of us together. Being a true lab at heart, she loved her tennis balls and playing fetch. She enjoyed going to the off-leash parks as well as running and walking at Alki Beach. Whoopi loved coming to work with me at the shelter because it gave her a job. As potential adopters visited the shelter, she was there to eagerly greet them. To her, this was another chance for a homeless shelter cat or dog to find their forever home.

I know Whoopi had a great life in her final years. The kind of life we want all homeless cats and dogs to have when they leave the care of Homeward Pet."

To donate to Whoopi's Fund and assist Homeward Pet with supporting our community, please click on the Donate button below.