Programs & Services
NCHS is constantly working on improving our current programs and finding new ways to serve the needs of our community and to fulfill our mission and our vision. Listed below are programs and services we offer the community as well as ways you can help the shelter raise much needed funds.
Estate Planning | North County Wineries | Guardian Angel | Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group | Spay/Neuter Services | Trap, Neuter, Return | Adoptions | Feral Cat Sanctuary | Low Cost Microchip Clinic
ESTATE PLANNING
Ways you can support the future of North County Humane Society:
• Bequest
Through your will or living trust, give NCHS a specific cash gift or a share of your estate.
• Retirement Plan
Name NCHS as a beneficiary of all, or a percentage of your retirement plan or IRA.
• Life Insurance Policy
Designate NCHS as a regular contingent beneficiary of your policy.
• Charitable Remainder Trust
After you obtain income for life from assets you placed in a trust, NCHS receives the remainder.
NCHS LOW COST MICROCHIP CLINIC
NCHS is pleased to announce the opening of our low cost microchip clinic to be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. every Wednesday.
We will be offering the microchip service for all animals in the community. Cost is $15.00. Bring your dogs on a leash and your cats in a secure carrier.
If you would like to have your pet microchipped call the shelter to schedule your appointment.
NORTH COUNTY WINERIES SUPPORT NCHS
During the last year, an outreach program to local wineries to elicit their support for North County Humane Society has been established among the following wineries. Through the display of stunning artwork, created by local artist Julie Dunn for a plaque, donation carafes, and poster sales, wineries have contributed to what we hope will be a sustainable source of income for NCHS for many years to come.
These wineries in North County have adopted North County Humane Society, and are thereby directly giving back to their community in a very meaningful way. They embrace the common goal to ultimately contain/control the feral cat population so prevalent in North County.
NCHS is very grateful to these wineries and know you will enjoy your wine-tasting experience while supporting us too!
Calcareous Winery Carina Cellars Carmody McKnight Estate Vineyards Cass Winery Castoro Cellars Chronic Cellars Chumeia Vineyards Croad Vineyards Denner Winery Doce Robles Winery Dunning Family Estate Winery Eberle Winery Ecluse Winery |
Grey Wolf Vineyards & Cellars Hearthstone Vineyard & Winery Hunt Cellars Jada Vineyard & Winery Kiamie Wine Cellars J. Lohr Winery La Carina Cellars Midnight Cellars Norman Vineyards Ortman Family Vineyards Penman Springs Winery Pipestone Vineyards Rio Seco Winery |
Robert Hall J. Paul Rosilez Winery Rotta Winery San Marcos Creek Vineyard Sculpterra Winery Stacked Stone Cellars Stillwater Winery Veris Cellars Vista Del Rey Vineyards Wild Coyote Estate Winery Zenaida Cellars Zin Alley Cellars |
GUARDIAN ANGELS
"If I could I would adopt all of them myself; through this program, I know that my monthly contribution helps to care for these special-needs kitties."— Janita Baker
The North County Humane Society Guardian Angels are a very special group of supporters, committed to stopping the suffering of all animals through a consistent financial contribution. Our special kitties need you to be a part of our very important monthly giving program.
The ongoing costs of feeding our adoptable animals, the long-term medical care of our permanent residents, providing adoption services and funding our county-wide discount spay/neuter program are ever increasing.
Guardian Angels support NCHS by making regular, monthly contributions. This program provides an ongoing source of income that we can depend on to fulfill these continuing obligations. With a minimum gift of $25 per month, you will be making a difference. You can have your monthly pledge automatically charged to a credit card or you can mail in a check in our return envelopes.
As a Guardian Angel, you have the option of choosing your guardian animal or allowing NCHS to select one for you. You will receive:
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A certificate
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A Guardian Angel pin
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And we will keep you updated on the life of your cat.
19th century French romantic poet Alphonse de Lamartine wrote:
"To love for the sake of being loved is human, but to love for the sake
of loving is angelic."
How Can You Become A Guardian Angel?
Send your first monthly pledge to NCHS, 2300 Ramona Road, Atascadero, CA 93422 or sign up on line using our secure online donation form. We will make sure you get return envelopes to easily send this in monthly. You can also make a one time annual pledge to help support one or more of our special needs kitties.
For more information, email or call the shelter at (805) 466-5403.
NCHS is a division of Action for Animals' Rights and is a no-kill, non-profit organization. Your donation is tax deductible. In order to keep our costs of operations at a minimum we do not send receipts unless requested.
You are making a difference...Thank You!
HEALING HEARTS Pet Loss Support Group
Coping with the loss of your pet?
Don't grieve alone.
The North County Humane Society offers a free pet bereavement support group the last Thursday of every month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Shelter. The "Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group" is open to all family members and is led by a Bereavement Counselor. It is intended to help those who have lost a pet to transition from grief, emotional pain, and sadness, to appreciation and acceptance.
The "Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group" is also available for those with an ill pet to help in assessing when the time is right to let the pet go. The group can help with separating whether the pet is being kept alive for the owner’s sake or because it’s best for the pet. For those grappling with these difficult, emotionally packed issues, talking about them in a non judgmental, safe environment can help in reaching a decision that’s right for the pet and its owner.
Often, those who have lost a pet are embarrassed to reveal the extent of their grief. This may be due to a fear that friends or family members will respond with, “It was just a cat or dog. Why don’t you just get another one?” But to the person who has lost their pet, it isn’t “just a cat or dog.” Those attending the Shelter’s Pet Loss group are all people who have lost animals they’ve loved, so it’s a safe environment in which to share their love for their pet and what the loss of the pet has meant for them.
In the group, mourners learn to differentiate between normal grief, and depression for which professional one on one help is needed. Mourners also learn tools to help them move through their grief. Many who lose a beloved pet deal with additional issues of guilt or blame and these issues are addressed as well.
It is not unusual for the death of a pet to bring forth prior unresolved emotional issues. For example, if a family member has previously passed away and was not mourned, it is not unusual for issues surrounding this earlier death to re-surface following the death of a pet. This needs to be recognized and dealt with.
The NCHS "Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group" has been attended by families together, spouses, and individuals. In American society, men are expected to reign in their emotions. In this safe environment, men can express their sadness over losing a beloved animal friend.
Healing Hearts Pet Loss Support Group
Intake Room
North County Humane Society
2300 Ramona Rd., Atascadero
(Exit Del Rio Road)
6:30 p.m. the last Thursday of every month
All family members are welcome!
Please call Sherry with questions at: 466-5403
Or, e-mail: sherry.nchs@gmail.com
Click here to read a moving tribute to a beloved cat
SPAY & NEUTER SERVICES
Please spay or neuter your pet! The spaying of one female cat can mean the prevention of 29 litters over a ten-year period. And it's anybody's guess how many litters are prevented by the neutering of a male cat. A female dog can produce two litters every year, with an average of six to ten puppies per litter.
Pet overpopulation is a tragedy! An estimated six to twelve million cats and dogs are euthanized in our nation's shelters every year. Countless more suffer and die from starvation, illness, accident, abuse or neglect. There are just too many animals and not enough homes for all of them. The answer is to spay and neuter pets to prevent the births of more unwanted animals.
Discount Spay/Neuter Certificates: When funds are available NCHS offers spay/neuter certificates that will help offset your cost to spay or neuter your companion animal. Contact the shelter for information. Any resident of Atascadero may take advantage of this program. Check with your veterinarian on prices. The average cost to alter male and female dogs is between $70 and $150, to alter female cats is $55 to $110, and to alter male cats is $50.00.
When funding permist, Certificates are available in the following amounts:
$40 for females
$20 for males
To donate to the spay/neuter program click here.
TRAP, NEUTER, RETURN
Trap, Neuter, Return (TNR) is widely recognized as the most humane and effective strategy for reducing feral cat populations. TNR involves humanely trapping feral cats and transporting them to a veterinary clinic where they are spayed and neutered. At this time, they may also receive a health check, vaccinations, and can be treated for routine medical conditions. After the surgery, the cat recuperates for a day or two and then is returned back to the colony habitat to live out its natural life. Since the cats are no longer reproducing, the colony will gradually diminish in size, and by reducing or eliminating mating, fighting and wandering, TNR makes the colony more stable, impacts the influx of newcomers and improves the health of the cats.
A Lifesaving and Permanent Solution
As a general rule, feral cats cannot be adopted into human homes, and relocating them into another area is extremely difficult. Therefore, in most cases, if feral cats are taken to an animal shelter, instead of being altered and returned, they will be killed. Besides being inhumane, Trap and Remove is only a temporary solution, opening up an ecological void which more cats - unaltered - will eventually fill, starting the breeding process all over again. Trap and Remove then is an endless cycle of breeding and killing, while TNR is a lifesaving and permanent solution.
Case Studies
A survey of feral cat caregivers conducted by the SF/SPCA found that every caregiver who implemented a TNR program saw the colony stabilize or decrease in number. In San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, one feral cat colony has been reduced from 85 cats to 2 through TNR. And after caregivers at Stanford University started a successful TNR program, the campus cat population reached zero population growth almost immediately. Today, through natural attrition and the adoption of tame cats, the colony has decreased over 50 percent.
Three Good Reasons for TNR
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It's effective. Having cats altered and returned to their habitats is the quickest way to permanently reduce feral cat populations.
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It's humane. There are very few feral cat sanctuaries and even fewer volunteers seeking to adopt feral cats. Feral cats taken to animal control shelters likely will be euthanized as feral cats cannot be adopted into homes.
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You'll be in good company. Tens of thousands of people are helping feral cats through TNR. Join the crowd!
Trap Rental
You can rent a trap from the North County Humane Society under the following conditions:
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You will place the trap(s) on no other property but your own.
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You will check the trap(s) daily.
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You will set the trap(s) in an area protected from the harsh elements, shaded from the heat of the day and/or sheltered from extreme cold and rain.
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You will notify neighbors of the time you will be trapping and release any cat or cats owned by any person (a cat wearing a collar, that is approachable, is well fed, and appears shiny or soft to the touch with bright clear eyes probably has a home).
Limit on trap rental is 10 days, with a $50 refundable deposit. There is a $1 per day rental charge and $2 per day after 10 days. There is a cleaning fee of $5 for traps returned dirty.
ADOPTIONS
We match animals with people based on general lifestyle and the type of care that you can provide. We strive to provide the best possible animal companion and life-long friend to you and your family. Your new friend comes to you with many extras, as well:
- Personality assessment
- Vaccinations
- Shelter health check-up
- Free starter pet food
- Discount pet store coupons
- Spayed or Neutered
- 30-day Happiness Guarantee
We pass along our savings to you where you would otherwise pay three to four times as much for these outside services on a “free” kitten or cat!
Our Adoption Agreement Addresses:
- Indoor/outdoor safety
- Dietary considerations
- Well-being issues
- Medical & dental needs
- Lifetime return guarantee
- Pet/family relocation
- No de-clawing (options given)
- Required spay/neuter
- Surrender policy
Adoption Application
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COUNTRY CATS FERAL CAT SANCTUARY
All donations for the Cat (Sanctuary) Habitat should be addressed and mailed directly to:
Cat Habitat
P.O. Box 577
Atascadero, CA 93423-0577
