QUILCENE — Center Valley Animal Rescue will receive a $10,000 grant from the website Petfinder, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary.
Center Valley is a no-kill shelter located just north of Quilcene and is one of 25 shelters receiving a grant out of the more than 13,000 animal rescues and shelters that work with Petfinder on animal adoptions across the United States.
It is the only one on the North Olympic Peninsula to receive the grant.
The money will be a huge help to the shelter, said Sara Penhallegon, the director of Center Valley, which is at 11900 Center Road in Quilcene.
“We run on roughly $175,000 per year,” Penhallegon said. “So this is a big chunk.”
Penhallegon said center personnel were recently contacted by Petfinder and are unsure of exactly what the funds will go toward.
“Since it’s Petfinder, we’re probably funding medical care or adoption processes,” Penhallegon said. “Since Petfinder’s whole thing is getting animals adopted, it would just make sense.”
She isn’t sure how Petfinder chose the center but said her impression is that members of the public requested it be selected.
The money — a total of $250,000 disbursed to shelters across the United States — is Petfinder’s way of celebrating its 20th anniversary. According to its website at www.petfinder.com, the group has helped 25 million pets get adopted since it started its services in 1996.
In August, Petfinder challenged fans to generate at least 1 million views of the group’s 20th anniversary celebration video MetOnPetfinder. If the goal were reached, Petfinder promised to donate $200,000 to selected shelters across the country. That goal was met within a month, according to a news release from Petfinder.
The website then offered to donate $250,000 if the video could surpass 1.25 million views. Eight weeks later, the video had 1.9 million views.
Petfinder is one of the largest animal adoption websites in the country, and Penhallegon said working with Petfinder has been an effective way to get animals adopted.
“I get emails from Petfinder everyday,” Penhallegon said. “If you Google ‘animal adoptions’ or ‘local shelters,’ Petfinder will probably pop up.”
Penhallegon said the center does a large number of adoptions through Petfinder. It is easy for people to use, she said.
“People can pick what animal they’re looking for — like a dog — then pick size, age range, and it’ll pull up all the animals in the area that fit in those categories,” Penhallegon said.
Center Valley Animal Rescue is currently home to a variety of adoptable animals, including 17 chickens, two Tokay geckos, a llama named Astra, a miniature horse, two Anatolian shepherds and a number of rabbits and goats.
The ranch just outside of Quilcene is also a rehabilitation center for such wild animals as raccoons and deer.
Penhallegon said the center also sponsors a monthly spay/neuter clinic.
On Monday, it will host a special vaccination clinic for domestic pets at the Quilcene Community Center. The clinic, for low-income people, will charge $10 for a rabies shot, $15 for distemper/Parvo vaccine and $15 for the feline distemper shot. It is by appointment only. Appointments can be made through Sunday by calling the center at 360-765-0598.
Center Valley is mainly run by volunteers. Visiting hours are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.
To donate, find a list of adoptable animals, get information about spay/neuter clinics or for other information, see www.centervalleyanimalrescue.org or call 360-765-0598.
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Jefferson County Editor/Reporter Cydney McFarland can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 55052, or at cmcfarland@peninsuladailynews.com.
