Cascades Humane Society's mission is to unite vulnerable animals in need with people who care and are able to help them. They're committed to ensuring every adorable dog and cat find their forever home. As a non-profit public charity, they're dependent on the generosity of the community. They hold a number of annual events to help them generate the much-needed funds required to keep saving animals' lives.
They have a rich history dating back to the 1920s when Virginia Lavender began saving stray, abused, and lost animals. She used her own money to provide them with the treatment they needed before placing them with families. Following her example, brother and sister duo Kenneth and Edith Dunning (along with other community members), incorporated the Animal Welfare League of Jackson. After closing down in 1980 due to funding shortages and operational challenges, a certificate of assumed name was filed and Cascades Humane Society was born.
In 1984, Dr. Pat Gorczyca began providing the shelter with free and low-cost veterinarian services through Blackman Animal Clinic. He later became a Cascades Humane Society board member and helped them boost their funding when a friend of his, Doris Upp, bequeathed her entire estate to the shelter.
In 1996, Peter Weatherwax, a philanthropist, rented office space to the shelter for just $100 per month. He had the intention to donate the land they were renting to them and donate the cost of building a new facility, but, sadly passed before the plans were completed. That same year, the shelter also evolved from a membership funded organization to a director-run one, and four years later they held their first cabinet meeting. After forming the Cascades Humane Auxiliary, they raised more than $1.6 million and built a brand new shelter and adoption center that was officially opened on the December 7, 2003.
To adopt a dog or cat from Cascades Humane Society, you must be at least 18 years old, be able to present the vaccination records of all your current pets, and have your landlord's permission to keep a pet (renters only).
To encourage responsible decision-making, the shelter allows 24-hour holds to be placed on pets. Once you're ready to proceed, the $25 holding fee will be deducted from your adoption fee. You can also complete a self-evaluation quiz on their website to help you decide if it's the right time for you to adopt a pet.
To get started, you can either complete an online adoption form or download a printable form.
Adoption fees at Cascades Humane Society are as follows:
Coveted dog and cat breeds may carry higher adoption fees.
Your adoption fee covers spay/neuter surgery, age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, tick and flea treatments, a free wellness exam at a participating veterinarian, one month free pet insurance, and an ID tag. Dogs are tested for heartworm and cats for feline leukemia and FIV/FeLV. All dogs will be microchipped and cats that are spayed or neutered at the shelter will also be microchipped.
Our writing team is hard at work researching this shelter's adoption process and fees, so this page will be updated soon!
In the meantime, here's some nice-to-know info that applies to nearly every animal shelter, humane society, and rescue.
Because shelter dogs are full of love!
Is it because they know you saved them and love you harder for it?
I can't say for certain, but yes.
Jokes aside, there are three things all shelter dogs need to thrive in their new home:
Older shelter dogs, generally 1+ years old, may have experienced a lot of trauma, which often results in one of 8 common behavioral issues:
These issues are correctable! Your dog isn't broken, they're just damaged. You can fix them with enough love, patience, and a good training plan.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, finding good dog trainers can be hard. Like everything else, dog training is moving only. but there are great online dog trainers that are proven to work and can help get your new pup on the right path.
You can learn a lot about an animal welfare organization just by looking at their name.
Adoption processes vary drastically from organization to organization, but here are some general tips that apply in most instances. Note that we'll use the term "shelters" here for simplicity but it includes all types of rescue organizations.
If you have any questions about adopting an animal (what you'll need, what to expect, etc.) feel free to contact the PetLists team!
If you're looking to adopt a new dog, our Dog Adoption Guide is a must-read. It has everything you need to know about bringing a shelter dog home:
And we're adding new guides all the time.
