The warmth and excitement of the season of gratitude are here! This year’s Giving Tuesday is coming up on Dec. 3, and The Heritage Humane Society invites the community to make a life-saving difference for pets in need. With a partially aging facility facing unprecedented demand from an increase of homeless pets, donations will help provide vital medical care and will go towards facility safety upgrades. Adding to this one-day-a-year initiative, a generous local family has pledged to match donations up to $50,000, doubling the impact of each gift during this time of major needs right here in the local community.
How support transforms lives — both furry and human
Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world. The ninth annual Giving Tuesday is on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving. For The Heritage Humane Society, donors are assured that their support is kept 100% right here in the Greater Williamsburg community and makes a difference. Here are just two of the success stories from Giving Tuesday donations from last year that made a life-changing impact in the months since.
- Spartacus: A warrior’s journey to recovery. When Spartacus arrived at the shelter as a stray this August, his future was critically uncertain. Severely emaciated, covered in fleas and dirt, and weighing a mere 20 pounds, the 11-month-old dog needed urgent care. Thanks to donations from compassionate supporters, Spartacus received the life-saving medical attention, nutrition and care he desperately needed.
Now weighing more than 40 pounds, Spartacus is a healthy, playful pup living in a foster home while waiting for his forever family. He’s doing well with cats, enjoys the company of other dogs and is making great progress with crate training.
Spartacus qualifies for The Heritage Humane Society’s Name Your Own Adoption Fee promotion, making it easier than ever to welcome this little warrior into an adopter’s home. To meet Spartacus, contact the HHS Adoption Team at 757-221-0150 or adopt@heritagehumane.org.
- Tora: from pain to purrs. Six-year-old Tora’s life changed forever when she arrived at The Heritage Humane Society in June. Surrendered due to a “change in lifestyle,” Tora suffered from a painful condition called entropion, which caused her eyelids to rub against her eyes. Thanks to Giving Tuesday donations, The Heritage Humane Society was able to fund the surgery Tora needed to live a pain-free life.
Today, Tora is thriving, showering staff and volunteers with endless purrs and affection. Proud community supporter Williamsburg Jewelers has sponsored her adoption fee in memory of David Thurston, making it easier for her to find a loving home. Tora is a testament to how donor support changes lives, one paw at a time.
A national pet crisis affects a local, aging facility
Animal shelters and rescues nationwide continue to face unprecedented populations of surrendered and stray pets, and The Heritage Humane Society is feeling this heavy impact. The mounting toll affects pets, shelter staff and volunteers, and the facility, alike. Each day increasing challenges demand more innovative solutions than the previous.
Shares Kimberly Laska, CAWA, Executive Director of The Heritage Humane Society, “This year has been one that will go down in history as the year of the ‘pivot.’ Every day, we have had to adjust our focus, mainly to make space in our facility for more pets needing a safe landing place. We have moved pets from room to room, utilizing pop-up cages when no available kennels were left in the building. Fosters have been the true heroes in our crisis this year. Did you know that more than 800 pets have been fostered since the beginning of the calendar year? Our community moves mountains, and we are so grateful.”
In addition to medical care, this year’s Giving Tuesday donations will fund critical projects that provide safety for shelter pets, including:
- Dog Isolation Ward. This newly gifted space is being transformed into a permanent dog isolation ward with proper kennels. This upgrade will provide recovering dogs with more room, daily sterilization, and improved drainage, ensuring a safer, more comfortable environment for a faster medical recovery.
- Cat Colony space. The shelter’s communal cat space has faced challenges since curious cats ventured through a utility panel, leading to significant repairs. While the cats were unharmed, the room required drywall removal, all-new insulation and odor elimination. Now, plans are underway to rebuild the space with new drywall, durable and safe pet-friendly materials, and interactive cat displays, creating a safe and enriching environment for cats and visitors alike.
- Kennel repairs. Beyond the concerning increase in stray and surrendered pets, there is also the growing length of stay in the shelter before pets are adopted. This has created an immediate need for improving the living conditions for over 50 dogs currently in care.
- Improved air quality. On average, 2,000 pets come through and are cared for at the shelter every year. Air quality is vital in an animal shelter to protect the health of animals, staff, and visitors while preventing the spread of airborne diseases. Clean, well-ventilated spaces support faster recovery for sick animals, create a safe and welcoming environment for staff and adopters, and reduce allergens and odors. Priority air quality improvements needed include replacing soft ducts, cleaning air systems, and updating ceiling tiles for better air quality, and restoring full functionality of the shelter’s exhaust fans to maintain a healthy environment.
Double the impact, double the difference
Thanks to a major and greatly appreciated $50,000 gift match from a local family who adopted a pet from the shelter, every donation will go twice as far and double the impact in helping local pets like Spartacus and Tora find their second chance. This Giving Tuesday, join The Heritage Humane Society in giving hope, healing, and homes to animals in need.
How to donate
Every dollar counts and helps The Heritage Humane Society continue its mission of saving lives right here in Greater Williamsburg. Giving Tuesday donations can be made:
- In person. 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. on Dec. 3 at 430 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185.
- Online. Anytime on Dec. 3 at heritagehumane.org/donate.
Ready to be adopted for the holidays
Over 220 dogs, cats and small pets are currently in the shelter’s care. Adoptable pets are available to meet during The Heritage Humane Society’s visiting and adopting hours from noon to 4:30 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
To learn more, visit HeritageHumane.org, call 757-221-0150, or visit The Heritage Humane Society located at 430 Waller Mill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185.
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