Thursday, October 1, 2026
There are two subjects we would like to discuss.
First of all, we want to thank all our veterans for their service and for all the sacrifices you may have endured serving your country. Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, 2025.
We also want to let everyone know that the Concern for Animals (CFA) 19th annual Toast for Tails fundraiser was held the last week of October, and it was a huge success.
Debbie (a volunteer for CFA) said it brought in more than it did last year and there was a huge turnout for the dinner and auction. That is great because this year their food and supplies won’t last based on increased need and output of requests they are receiving.
The need is real. CFA is expanding its food bank capacity and working to secure additional feed supplies to help prevent local pets from going hungry. This expansion will stretch its resources thin, so CFA is urgently requesting the community’s help to stock the shelves and fill the inevitable gaps created by this surge.
How You Can Help! Every donation helps keep a pet fed!
Drop off food: They can accept bags and cans of pet food (including open bags of food) at 1414 State Ave. NE in Olympia.
Order online: Food can be ordered for direct delivery to CFA from Chewy/Amazon (click here).
Donate Funds: Funds can be sent so they can directly order extra food (click here).
The holidays are upon us, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. This week we are going to help local animal charities by listing as many as we can, all located in Thurston County, with their contact information. The following animal charities are ones that we are either familiar with, or know of, and come with good recommendations.
If we have forgotten or missed any nonprofit, mostly volunteer charity that takes in food, supplies or donations for animals, please email us at Pets@theJoltnews.com and we will include your organization in our next column on Nov. 25.
Concern for Animals (click here)
Feline Friends (cats, click here)
Old Dog Haven (senior dogs, click here)
Pasado’s Safe Haven (variety, click here)
Joint Animal Services (variety, click here)
Thurston County Humane Society (variety, click here)
Thurston County Food Bank (variety, click here)
Tiny Tails & Scales Rescue (small critters) tinytailsandscales@gmail.com
P.A.C.K. (People for Animal Care and Kindness) (variety, click here)
Caring Hearts 4 Paws (dogs) 360-688-1092
Hooved Animal Rescue of Thurston County (horses, click here)
Covenant Creatures (variety, click here)
Wolf Haven International (wolf sanctuary, click here)
We have given names and contact information for several animal charities, but the best way to see what they do for animals is to go to each website. Most, if not all of the charities are nonprofit and run by volunteers who give so much love and time to all animals.
All these worthy animal charities are in dire need of any help or donation you can give. I know so many of us are finding it hard to be able to afford any donation, especially around the holidays, but it can make a world of difference to an animal and the people who care for them.
There are so many opportunities to help besides donations, volunteering with your time, helping with adoptions or fostering, and many other ways to help. People tend to be more generous during the holidays, but these animal charities need our support all year long.
Another way, if you are on Facebook, is to let friends and family know that instead of a gift for a birthday or anniversary, a donation to your favorite animal charity or one specified by the recipient is a great idea.
If you live outside of Thurston County, there are many worthwhile animal charities you can donate to or volunteer.
I’m not sure how many local pet stores donate food and supplies returned by customers, mostly food the dog or cat doesn’t like, but I do know all Mud Bay Pet Stores donate to several animal charities.
“A happy arrangement: many people prefer cats to other people, and many cats prefer people to other cats.” - Mason Cooley
“Dogs have a way of finding the people who need them, filling an emptiness we don’t even know we have.” - Thom Jones
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DonnaS
Thank you for another informative article on Thurston Pets. I attended the Concern for Animals Toast for Tails event and it was very well organized with nearly all of the work done by volunteers. They had many nice silent auction items and some live auction items. I am so pleased to know that it was a big success in raising funds for animals.
Thank you for the list of local organizations that all need our support - now more than ever.
Saturday, November 15, 2025 Report this