ABOUT US
Our Vision | Our Mission | Our History | Meet our Board of Directors & Staff
ABOUT NCHS
North County Humane Society is a California state-registered 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization. North County Humane Society, a division of Action for Animals' Rights, serves all of San Luis Obispo County, California. The Humane Society operates the Margaret Raber Shelter for Cats and the Parfitt Adoption Center, a no-kill, for-life cat rescue shelter with cat adoption services.
OUR VISION
To live in a world where all animals receive compassion, respect, and humane treatment from all people.
OUR MISSION
The North County Humane Society (“NCHS”), a division of Action for Animals' Rights (“AFAR”), was founded in 1977. We are a "no-kill" cat adoption center/shelter. Our mission is to reduce pet overpopulation and to promote responsible pet ownership through spay/neuter and trap, neuter and release programs; provide shelter, care and socialization opportunities for domestic cats awaiting permanent homes; and advocate for the welfare and humane treatment of all animals through education efforts in our communities.
HISTORY OF NORTH COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY
North County Humane Society is a division of Action for Animals’ Rights (collectively referred to as “NCHS”), a State of California registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which was started in 1977 by Daphne Fahsing, Katherine Johns, and Marie Carlson. Today, NCHS operates the Margaret Raber Shelter for Cats and the Parfitt Adoption Center which is a no-kill, for-life, cageless cat shelter with adoption services located at 2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero, California.
During the early days of NCHS, Robert Dollahite, the then San Luis Obispo County Director of Animal Regulation, estimated that his department was taking in “100 dogs per day, most of them unlicensed or unlocatable, and 200 cats per day during kitten season." This commentary solidified the substantial need for NCHS services in San Luis Obispo County. In April of 1979, off to a great start and with support from the community, NCHS started the first ever Spay/Neuter Program (“Program”) in San Luis Obispo County, the success of which was recognized in the Shelter Sense Magazine produced by the Humane Society of the United States (“HSUS”). Due to the rural nature of San Luis Obispo County, NCHS in recent years has focused on the northern part of the county to realize the greatest impact and benefit from its variety of services. As a predicate of this successful program, San Luis Obispo County then awarded NCHS $10,000 from its Revenue Sharing Funds, a Federal fund program which gave money to counties with no string attached, which was used for various related NCHS efforts.
Throughout the 1980s, NCHS continued to expand and received continued support from the communities that encompass San Luis Obispo County. In 1981, the City of Atascadero, a small town located in northern San Luis Obispo County, consulted with NCHS to assist with the hiring of a fulltime Director for the Atascadero Zoo. This eventually lead to the hiring of a Zoo Manager and accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
On the 10th anniversary of the inception of NCHS, the then editor for the Atascadero News, Lon Allan, wrote an article stating that NCHS’s Spay/Neuter program is a "shining example of how a program can grow when it has people behind it who believe in it." He also wrote that NCHS’s newsletter "would be a good model for many organizations to follow, it is so well done." That same year, NCHS hired its first employee, Ellie Garcia, as an office manager. She had been working for NCHS for a year under the AARP training program and she remained with the organization until 1993. Ellie is famously known in the area for the rescue of nine abused and neglected horses in Santa Margarita, a small ranching town located in the northern part of San Luis Obispo County. This also turned out to be the first animal abuse case adjudicated before the San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. The court held in favor of the animals' rescue. The horses were eventually turned over to NCHS which was assisted by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department, Templeton Stock Yards, HSUS, Central Coast Horseman’s Association and many other volunteers all who participated in the care, housing, and subsequent adoption of the rescued animals.
During the 1990s, after more than a decade of growth and service to the community, NCHS went through some necessary organizational and structural changes. NCHS acquired the property on which the current shelter and adoption center are located and all facilities under NCHS were consolidated into this new location in Atascadero, California. Additionally, the North County Humane Society name was adopted as a divisional name while the original name, Action for Animals’ Rights, was retained for official use.
From the year 2000 up to the present date, NCHS has continued to be a strong and vibrant organization and this year marks the 34th year of service for the animals and residents of San Luis Obispo County. NCHS still operates as a no-kill, for life cageless cat shelter and adoption center which services all of San Luis Obispo County, California. Due to the rural nature of San Luis Obispo County, NCHS in recent years has focused on the northern part of the county to realize the greatest impact and benefit from its services. In 2001, a dome shaped house on NCHS property was converted to a cat sanctuary and named the "Margaret Raber Shelter for Cats" in honor of Margaret Raber, a long time supporter of the organization. In June 2004, NCHS opened the Parfitt Adoption Center on NCHS property. It took NCHS two years to complete this project which consists of a 2,100 square foot space containing the offices of NCHS as well as the Cats and Kittens Adoption Program.
Other more recent accomplishments include the implementation of several new programs. These programs include, but are not limited to: the NCHS Low Cost Microchip Clinic which is offered to both cats and dogs in the community; Guardian Angels Program which allows supporters to make monthly contributions directly towards the care of special needs kittens and cats; Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group which is a free pet bereavement support group; Community Education; and the Trap, Neuter, and Return Program, which involves humanely trapping feral cats and transporting them to a veterinary clinic where they are spayed and neutered, receive a health check and vaccinations, and can be treated for routine medical conditions. The Trap, Neuter, and Return program is widely recognized as the most humane and effective strategy for reducing feral cat populations and has been supported by NCHS and many local residents and rescue groups in San Luis Obispo County area.
Today, NCHS paid and volunteer staff alike continues to carry the dream and vision held by Daphne Fahsing, Katherine Johns, and Marie Carlson back in 1977. NCHS staff continue to provide valuable services to the animals and residents of San Luis Obispo County by reducing pet overpopulation and promoting responsible pet ownership through spay/neuter and trap, neuter and release programs; provide shelter, care and socialization opportunities for domestic cats awaiting permanent homes; and advocate for the welfare and humane treatment of all animals through education efforts in our communities. NCHS specifically recognizes all members of the community which give continued support. Additionally, NCHS recognizes the City of Atascadero for its ongoing commitment and support of the Program which assists resident pet owners of Atascadero with the costs associated with the spay and neuter of their pets.
As of the 2010-2011 operating year, NCHS served approximately 330 animals with its Program which is up from the 208 animals served in the 2009-2010 operating year. This is an increase of 58% year over year. Today, as in 1977, the need for NCHS services is great with the ever growing population of San Luis Obispo County. NCHS staff and supporters invite you to research and get to know the organization further by visiting www.slonchs.org, www.petfinder.com, and Facebook.
PLEASE REVIEW OUR MANY PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF OUR LOCAL ANIMAL POPULATION.
