Columbia Humane Society

02/13/2025

Informational Thursday:
In this week's discussion we would like to touch base on why CHS has it actually written into our adoption policy that declawing of cats adopted from CHS is strictly prohibited. Declawing of cats, or onychectomy, is the amputation of the last digital bone, including the nail bed and claw, on each front toe. If the surgery is performed correctly and the entire nail bed is removed, the claw cannot regrow. The surgery involves the risk of anesthesia, excessive bleeding and postoperative complications, including infection, and is accompanied by pain that may last from several days to much longer unless appropriate pain control is provided. Basically it is the equivalent of chopping your fingers off at the knuckle.

Cats' claws are a vital part of their arsenal for both offense and defense. They use them to capture prey and to settle disputes with or escape from other animals or people who are harming or threatening them.

A variety of alternatives exist to manage natural scratching behavior and to prevent injury from cat scratches. These include having a cat’s nails trimmed regularly in order to blunt the tips, providing scratching pads, posts and other appealing structures for the cat to use and employing behavior modification techniques to induce the cat to use them, using deterrents such as double-sided tape (e.g., Sticky Paws®) to protect furnishings, and covering the claws with soft temporary pads (e.g., Soft Claws®). Owners should also be familiar with cat behavior and proper handling techniques to avoid being scratched.

Declawing has not been proven an effective method for improving other behavioral issues, including aggression towards people or other cats, it should never be used as a behavioral remedy or as a preventative measure. If you have questions regarding your cat's behavior please feel free to contact us and we will help you in any way we possibly can.

We ask that you please reach out to your vet about propernail trimming or any one of our local groomers would be willing to help with this also.

02/12/2025

Whisker Wednesday!
Often times we get so caught up in the "kitten craze" that we forget about the wonderful Momma cats that bring these guys into the world. Due to our Queen Program, providing medical to the Mom's we generally don't have to keep the Mom's most families are willing to take them back, however we do get some great Mom's that are done taking care of their babies and are ready to go into new homes now. This week we want to put the spotlight on Wanda. This lovely girl is about a year old, she has a very sweet dispostion and a wonderful personality.She loves to be cuddled and will tell you a story if you aren't doing what she wants. She is still very playful, she raised a wonderful litter of kittens, and gave it her all. Her hair is a little thin still but with proper nutrition we are working on that. We think she will do fine in a home with another cat, but we are not sure how she is going to do with dogs. If you are intersted in meeting Wanda we ask that you please email [email protected] in order to obtain an adoption application.

02/12/2025

Somehow yesterday got away from us and we missed Mutt Monday. So today is going to be Gerty Tuesday. This little girl will be sure to bring a smile to your face the moment that you meet her. She is very sweet and very friendly and just wants to be your pal. She loves to play with other dogs, and would do best in the home with a similar size male dog that she can play with and pal around. Gerty has a very busy mind and she needs to be kept busy other wise she makes up her own fun. She is about 2 years old and weighs in right around 60lbs. She loves to go for walks, she loves to play with ice and one of her favorite past times is chewing up plastic toys. This girl never has a bad day and will be sure to show you where the snack drawer is.

If you are interested in meeting Gerty we ask that you please email [email protected] in order to obtain an adoption application. Once you have an approved application on file we would love to have you come and meet this wonderful liltte girl.

02/09/2025

It is spay/neuter clinic day. We get to send 10 cats in for alters that will never contribute to our cat population again. One is from our Queen program, she is going to get altered and chipped and get to go back home to her family. Thank you to our donors who make this happen. Thank you to our Transport team who donate their tome to drive these guys an hour to and from clinic. We couldn’t do it without you

02/05/2025

Whisker Wednesday
Everything you've heard about orange cats is true with these two. Oatmeal and Barley are two adorable bundles of energy. These playful brothers are always up for an adventure—whether it’s chasing after toys, climbing to the highest perch, or zooming through the house in a game of tag.

The brothers' big hearts are hidden beneath their shy exteriors. These gentle kitties may take some time to warm up, but with patience and love, they will slowly reveal their sweet and playful personalities.

At first, they may prefer to observe from a safe distance, but given time and a quiet space, they will start to trust. Once they feel comfortable, they’ll allow gentle pets—and when they do, their deep, rumbling purrs will let you know just how much they appreciate your kindness.

Barley, the more cautious of the two, loves finding cozy hiding spots and watching the world go by. But once he trusts you, he enjoys chin scratches and will purr loudly in appreciation.

Oatmeal, the braver brother, is a little more curious and playful. He loves chasing toys and wrestling with Barley, and with patience, he’ll happily accept gentle pets and head scratches.

These sweet boys need a calm and understanding home where they can take their time to adjust. But for those willing to give them patience and love, they will reward you with their trust, affection, and the sweetest purrs.

They have gotten along wonderfully with both dogs and cats in their foster home.

02/05/2025

We have a local teen that is doing a streaming fundraiser for CHS. Please join him on February 17th to watch him live on Twitch

02/03/2025

Mutt Monday
If goofy, sweet, fun loving, and carefree are what you are looking for then Jax is your guy. He is a mixed breed about 2 years old and weighs in at 65lbs. This guy is very strong and doesn't realize it. He has come so far since he has come into the shelter. He is learning that walking in a controlled manner is fun, and that playing with other dogs is also really fun. This guy is smart, quick to catch on and willing to learn. He needs a family that is willing to invest time in him to teach him all the things he wants to learn. He needs a fenced yard to run and play in and also a nice warm couch he can hide out on. We would not recommend placing him with cats, as his interests are a little more than we like. He will do well with a female dog that is playful, but also respectful of boundaries. Due to his size we would not recommend him to go with younger kids under 12 or smaller sized dogs.

If you are interested in meeting this guy please don't hesistate to email [email protected] in order to obtain an application.

02/01/2025

We have several different kinds of kidney care food. Please reach out if you can use it. 503-397-4353

01/29/2025

Whisker Wednesday
When Animal Control reached out about helping this guy we kinda just sprung into action to make sure he was taken care of. He wandered onto a property with a missing front paw and was bleeding everywhere. The Animal Control Officer took the call sprung into action and went and got him and brough him in for assesment. The guy was so sweet, and you could tell he just wanted to love on someone. So we sprung into action got him into the vet, has him assessed, got him on pain managment and got him fixed up. He is now ready to go home. They think he is about 2 years old, was already altered, he loves dogs and seems to really love cats. We got lucky and didn't have to amputate his leg, however he can't walk on his front leg due to it being shorter. This guy needs to stay as an indoor cat, unless he goes into the backyard under supervison as he doesn't has the defenses he once had.

If you are interested in meeting this boy we ask that you please email [email protected] in order to obtain an adoption application. Once we have an approved application on file we will the schedule a time for you to come and meet him. His adoption fee is $200.00

01/29/2025

Just a reminder spots are filling up fast. We strongly urge you to Pre-register because there is a strong possibility on the day of the clinic we will not have the availability to take walk up patients.

01/27/2025

Mutt Monday
I mean who can resist this girl. This is Tina she is getting close to being about a year old. This girl came to the shelter as a stray, so we don't really know much about her back ground. She is dog social, but will do best living in a home without another dog. She is very sweet, but she is a big kiddo, weighing in close to 90lbs. This girl loves to snuggle and will make a great addition to a home with a family that understands large dogs. If you are interested in meeting Tina please don't hesiate to email [email protected]

01/25/2025

We have some prescription foods donated. If anyone can use these please call 503-397-4353 to arrange pick up

01/23/2025

We have a few foster kittens that are currently in Vernonia that need some medication. Do we have any followers that are headed that way that could meet up with the foster to give them the medication asap. If you can help please text 503-369-7643 and we can make arrangements.

01/23/2025

Informational Thursday:
This week let's talk about the importance of vaccinating your pets. Vaccines are products designed to trigger protective immune responses and prepare the immune system to fight future infections from disease-causing agents. Vaccines stimulate the immune system’s production of antibodies that identify and destroy disease-causing organisms that enter the body. Vaccines provide immunity against one or several diseases that can lessen the severity or prevent certain diseases altogether. Experts agree that widespread use of vaccinations within the last century has prevented death and disease in millions of animals. Vaccinations protect your pet from highly contagious and deadly diseases and improve your pet’s overall quality of life.

Now you may be asking what vaccines do my pets need? Vaccinations are dependent on the area in which your pet resides. In Columbia County with dogs that are going to be over 10 pounds it is highly recommended that we vaccinate with a vaccine called DHLPP, this includes the vaccination for both Parvovirus, and Distemper and Leptospirosis. If a dog is under 10 pounds it is recommended that they not be vaccinated against Leptospirosis. It is required by state law in Oregon that any dog that is over 6 months of age must receive a rabies vaccination in order to be licensed. If your dog is going to frequent a dog park, or boarding facility, or grooming facility, it is also highly recommended that the vaccination for kennel cough be given also, and in many of these situations it is required.

Cat vaccinations are also very important and we wouldn’t want to leave our kitty friends out. It is highly recommended in this area that cats receive a vaccine called FVRCP. Also if the kitty is an outdoor kitty at all, it is recommended that they get a Leukemia vaccine. Even though it is not required by state law that cats be licensed, we highly recommend that cats do get vaccinated for Rabies, it only takes once for your cat to get outside to possibly get infected.

It is also important that you complete the series of vaccines that are recommended for your pet. It is very important that you speak to your veterinarian about the proper vaccination schedule for your pet.

Please continue to take wonderful care of your pets. In conjunction with Wiggle Butts Pet Bakery, CHS will be hosting a vaccination clinic on February 16th

01/22/2025

Whisker Wednesday
We would like to introudce everyone to Zara. This is a very sweet lovely girl that is about a year old. She is finished raising her kittens and is now looking for a new forever home. This little lady is about a year old, has lived in a foster home with dogs and other cats and has done great with both. She is very friendly and will make a great addition to any home. If you are interested in meeting this sweet lady we ask that you please email [email protected] in order to obtain an adoption application. Once you have an approved application on file we will the schedule a time for you to come and meet her.

01/22/2025

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Update: Nutmeg is on the mend and we want to thank you all for donations and shares!! His family is grateful.

Nutmeg is sick aColumbia Humane Societyth the Columbia Humane Society to raise money for Nutmeg's family to cover his vet care to treat parvovirus, a life-threatening infection. Nutmeg is much loved, and his family is so grateful for our request for help. Our goal is to raise $350. This community has always been so generous for the pups and we thank you.

01/21/2025

Did you all know that today is National Hug Day! What a great way to celebrate the day by giving your favorite pet a hug and reading to cats. We just want to remind all our Facebook Friends and Family about the Cattery Reading Program for Kids. We a reserving space on Sunday and Wednesday from 1:00pm-3:00pm in 30 minute time slots for you and your kids to come into the cattery and read to the cats. We do ask that you please don't let the cats out of the cages and that we are quiet while we are in the cattery. Also we request that no food or drink be in the cattery.

If you are interested in scheduling a time we ask that you please email [email protected] in order to reserve your time slot. We also ask that if you are not going to make your time slot, please let us know so that we can have someone else fill the spot.

01/20/2025

A member of the community reached out and asked if we had anyone interested in adopting a Dove. If so please reach out and we will get you connected with them