Meet Karen Holt, designer of The Homeward Pet Open logo

On August 27, 2021, Homeward Pet Adoption Center will hold the first Homeward Pet Open at Redmond Ridge Golf Course.  To celebrate the inception of this event, we wanted to have a special and unique logo created.  We knew who to ask immediately to take on the project: Homeward Pet volunteer and whiteboard artist, Karen Holt.

Karen started doing the whiteboard art here at Homeward Pet a few years ago because she heard that the whiteboards were going to be taken down because they weren’t being used.  She did her first drawing that day as a bit of a joke to show that the whiteboards did have value.  She then started doing weekly drawings, which attracted more attention as she went. She did them quietly during her Dog Feeder Cleaner shifts on Tuesday mornings. So, for most, the whiteboard art became this magical bit of joy that appeared out of nowhere each week.

Karen has been a volunteer here since 2006 and has done everything from walking dogs, to cleaning kennels, to fostering, to sorting laundry, to silent auction and rummage sale help. Her favorite task, however, is all the little things she does on her shifts to make the world extra special for our pups.  She’ll sit quietly with one who needs company to eat, or arrange toys thoughtfully for a dog who needs to learn how to play, or simply talk to the ones that just need to hear a reassuring voice. She truly is an example of the charitable heart that many of our volunteers gift us with every single day.

Karen’s first dog as a child was a 10 day old Chihuahua that her family saved from uncertain circumstances.  Karen helped to bottle-feed little Pepper, who not only survived but thrived in her young care. Karen is a Homeward Pet adoption alumnus multiple times over.  Her father adopted two dogs, Baker and Lil Girl from Homeward Pet, and she adopted Louie and Gypsy.

Karen spent most of her professional career as a graphic artist for Boeing, doing all of her artwork in pen and ink. She has since moved into digital artwork for most graphics. Whiteboard art, she says, is actually one of the more challenging mediums she’s worked in.

Art and animals have always been a part of her spirit.  She won a contest at age four with a drawing she did of cats. In her adulthood, she has kept busy doing artwork for a number of non-profits and small organizations, designing t-shirts, logos and posters.  We are truly blessed that she lends her talent to Homeward Pet as well.

Our events team had reached out to her for the Fur Ball to create the one of a kind artwork that was behind our hosts, Jim and Fred, during our Fur Ball livestream.

With our upcoming Golf Open on the horizon, we knew exactly who to approach for a unique logo!  She did not disappoint.  Her inspiration for this logo was, of course, the Woodinville Bassett Hound mascot which she seemingly effortlessly transformed into an athletic golf pro for our event.

We are thrilled to be able to have this very custom logo which incorporates so many of the elements that will make our upcoming golf tournament shine.

If you are interested in putting together a foursome for this event, you can find out more on our registration website.

Is golf not really your thing?  We have multiple opportunities for sponsorship.

Some of Karen’s Fun Whiteboard Artwork.  Consider volunteering or adopting for a chance to see her most recent artwork in person.

Shower them with food and formula during our Kitten Shower 

Every year Homeward Pet shelters and finds homes for hundreds of kittens. While irresistibly cute, most kittens require weeks or months of foster care until they are old enough to be adopted. Those just days old require bottle-feeding every few hours. As they grow, kittens want to snack on three or four meals a day: keeping their bowls full is a top priority! Our most urgent need right now, in addition to great foster homes, is your gifts of kitten-friendly canned food and formula.

Sending your Kitten Shower gifts is easy

We greatly appreciate all donations to help our kittens! There are several easy options for making donations:

• Chewy wish list (all items marked High Priority are kitten-related)
• Amazon Wish List (kitten supplies are at the top of the list)
• You may also drop off donations at any of our partner retail stores (click here for bin locations).A downloadable list of all items needed is available here.

Your exclusive Kitten Shower party gifts

Made your kitten shower gift? We’ve got two shower gifts just for you! Send an email with your name and phone number to our Events Team to receive two kitten shower gifts:    

• An exclusive, by-invitation-only link to our upcoming Homeward Pet Behind the Scenes of Kitten Season virtual event on June 23^rd @ 7pm via Zoom. Our staff will be on hand to answer all your burning questions related to kittens and chat about adoption and care of our littlest residents. You’ll get the chance to meet and greet with a few of the kittens currently in our shelter. 

• A chance to win a custom, hand-painted pet portrait. Our talented artist and Homeward Pet volunteer, Sue, has graciously offered to create a one-of-a-kind painted portrait for one lucky kitten shower guest. We will announce the winner live on our Facebook page on June 29th!  No need to be present to win.    

Be sure to send an email with your name and phone number to our Events Team to claim your kitten shower gifts!    

Every homeless pet deserves to find their new home.

Samson is an adorable 1-year-old English Setter, full of enthusiasm, who loves walks and playing fetch.

Found as a stray, he was surrendered to another shelter last fall. As adorable as he is, the months passed, and by January he had still not found his new home. With new dogs arriving at our partner shelter and limited kennel space, Samson needed the lifesaving gift of time to find his new home–which he found with our community of animal lovers at Homeward Pet.

More than 65% of the pets that come to Homeward Pet arrive from shelters across the state that must make room new arrivals. Supporters like you give pets in need like Samson a second chance to find a new home. After more than three months with us, Samson found his new home just two weeks ago.

Your GiveBIG gift is the key to more “happy tail” adoptions.

When you make a gift during GiveBIG, homeless pets like Samson get an incredibly important gift: as much time as they need. Your gift makes sure each pet has the shelter, food, exercise, and veterinary care they need to reach their new home: no matter how long it takes.  

You can give a pet the second chance they need! Your generous one-time or budget-friendly monthly gift is urgently needed by vulnerable pets arriving at Homeward Pet today.

We hope you will join us and make a lifesaving difference for pets like Samson during GiveBIG. If you would prefer to donate through our website, please click here.

Bubbles waft over the kennels, popping as dogs excitedly snap at them. A German Shepherd mix joyfully tears apart a pizza box as another dog chomps on ice cubes filled with frozen pet food. Overhead, a gentle voice narrates passages from Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast.

How does enrichment work, and what does it include?

Dog enrichment in the shelter is about providing novel experiences and making shelter stays more enjoyable and less stressful for animals. Happier, more relaxed dogs can better show off their true personalities when potential adopters come to visit—which also means they’re likely to be adopted quicker.

What does dog enrichment look like, then? It can be as simple as a rotating out toys daily or as complex as learning new tricks or going on regular adventures outside the shelter. Audiobooks with a soothing narrator or classical music can help relax dogs during quiet time, while puzzle feeders or training sessions provide important mental stimulation. Play groups with other dogs or additional exercise opportunities burn extra energy and keep pups in shape. But the most important element of enrichment is learning the individual tastes and quirks of each dog.

Take Bruce, for example (pictured with a pizza box above). When we first started providing him with enrichment, we tried a few different things—and our first choice was not right for Bruce. We tossed him a few clam treats that had been donated to us, but Bruce wasn’t a fan; instead of having a tasty snack, he barked at the treats until we swept them out of his kennel. (Maybe they smelled too strange for him!) A used pizza box to tear up, however, was much more up his alley. Once he finished that important task, he curled up for a quick nap.

Our Commitment to Enrichment

Homeward Pet greatly values enrichment and the benefits it brings to shelter dogs, especially those who stay with us a bit longer. Our team of hardworking volunteers and staff works each day to provide enrichment opportunities and activities for each dog currently in our shelter, recording each dog’s individual preferences. No one is going to try giving Bruce clam treats again!

We’re so grateful that we have the time and resources to make our animals’ time at Homeward Pet as comfortable as possible. Much thanks to the dedicated volunteers, donors, and staff who make this a priority each day!

Enrichment doesn’t stop at just dogs, either. Stay tuned for more information about our Cat Enrichment Team in the coming weeks, too!

As a thank you for reading, enjoy this video of Giovanni, a big fan of bubble enrichment!