Washington Shelters Work Together to Help Dog in Need

Submitted by Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County.

Tacoma, Seattle, and Yakima Humane Societies worked together to return a lost dog to its family over 150 miles away.

On September 25, Teddy Bear, a 5-year-old German shepherd dog was found by hikers in the Wenatchee National Forest and was brought to the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County.

After scanning for a microchip, the shelter faced a considerable feat. The dog’s owners lived over 150 miles away in Yakima, Washington.

“We had the opportunity to get this boy back to his family,” said Nathan Van Ness, pet support coordinator at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County. “Knowing there was a regular transport between them, we immediately reached out to Seattle Humane and the Yakima Humane Society.”

Seattle Humane was quick to offer their “Chelsey’s Rescue Rider”, a vehicle used for long rescue trips to shelters in Eastern Washington and Los Angeles to pick up animals in need.

“Our Lifesaver Assistant transported Teddy Bear and he was thrilled to do it! We love reuniting pets to their homes,” explains Sarah Davidson, lifesaver program supervisor at Seattle Humane. “Huge shout out to the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County for getting him here to us so early that morning and to the Yakima Humane Society for coordinating his owner to pick him up.”

The Yakima Humane Society happily agreed to take in Teddy Bear to connect him with his family.

“The Yakima Humane Society is always excited to see a pet reunited with their owner. It was wonderful for our partnership with Tacoma and Seattle to be utilized in a new way,” said Kelli Peal, transfer coordinator at the Yakima Humane Society.

With thousands of animals in need every year in Washington State, Teddy Bear’s journey home shows the future of animal welfare.

“We’re so grateful to be a part of an animal welfare network that can come together to support an animal in need and we hope it will continue to build,” says Van Ness.