FacebookInstagramAmazonSmilePetfinderAdoptAPet

PENINSULA FRIENDS OF ANIMALS

A cageless, no-kill, non-profit animal welfare group serving the Olympic Peninsula since 2000 - Fed ID 91-2127240
  • Home
  • Home Front
  • Rescue Animals
    • Adoptable Cats
    • Current Adopted
    • Sponsored Animals
    • Adoption Stories
    • In Memoriam
  • Other Services
    • Spay/Neuter Program
    • Lifetime Care
    • General FAQs
  • How To Help
    • Fundraising
      • Catnip & Sip
      • Fundraisers
      • Events Calendar
    • Membership
    • Volunteer!
    • Sponsor a Rescue Animal
    • Memorial Wall
    • Wish List
    • Our Business Partners
  • About Us
    • Our Board Of Directors
    • Our Staff
    • Our Volunteers
    • Our Facilities
    • Our Mission and Objectives
    • Events Calendar
    • Pet Tidings Newsletter
    • News/Announcements
  • Jobs
  • Contact Us
Search the site...

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is your adoption program about?

PFOA has companion pets of all ages for adoption. All of our animals have been health checked by a veterinarian, vaccinated and spayed or neutered prior to adoption. We screen applicants to ensure the right cat or kitten is a good match for the home it deserves.

Why do you charge an $85 adoption fee?

The $85 fee doesn’t even begin to cover the costs incurred in caring for any animal when you add up the veterinarian care, vaccinations, spay/neutering, food, cat litter and overhead to keep the lights and heat on at our shelter, Safe Haven. In addition, a reasonable investment in a pet is another indication of a pet owner’s ability to support the needs of that pet into the future. At the same time, we continue to strive to keep the fee as low as possible to make adoptions affordable for our community.

Are you really a “no-kill” shelter?

Yes, we are! We are limited by county regulations to a maximum of 65 cats and kittens at any one time at Safe Haven. However, we have about another 50 cats, kittens and/or dogs in foster care with our hard-working volunteer foster “parents.” It is painful for us to have to turn away animals in need, which is one reason we have an aggressive spay/neuter and TNR program in our county. We would never euthanize animals to make room for others, but it’s possible – although it is rare – to have an animal euthanized if it is clearly suffering from a terminal illness or injury.

Where are you located?

Safe Haven is located between Sequim and Port Angeles, Washington, at 257509 Highway 101. Click here for a map of our location. Please note that it is against the law to abandon animals (RCW 16.52.207) and is considered animal cruelty in the second degree. Animals may not be dropped off at Safe Haven. Please call (360) 452-0414 for more information. Barker House, which is located east of Sequim, has recently been put into use for some of our special needs cats.

What else does Peninsula Friends of Animals do?

In addition to adoptions and spay/neuter programs, Peninsula Friends of Animals offers pet food for pets of low-income community members. In 2016, our Pet Food Bank distributed 9,100 pounds of dry and 660 cans of donated pet food to over 200 needy pet households, along with over 2000 pounds of cat litter. We also offer behavioral advice by telephone.

Top

How can you be a “cageless” shelter with all those animals?

Safe Haven is a renovated, 5,000-square-foot home on 34 acres of rural land between Sequim and Port Angeles. The rooms that house our cats and kittens are large, bright and airy with windows and outdoor access to fully enclosed patios where they can romp or sleep in fresh air and sunshine. The cats lounge on furniture and sleep in cat beds scattered throughout the rooms. Kittens have their own rooms. They all climb on cat trees, play with toys and have daily interaction with volunteers who groom and pet them.

There may be times when a large cage is needed temporarily to:

  • First introduce a new cat into the group
  • Separate a cat or kitten who may exhibit signs of aggression
  • Intake a cat or kitten into an isolation unit until they can be health checked and vaccinated
  • House a cat temporarily if it becomes sick

How do you pay for all this?

Peninsula Friends of Animals is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization and takes NO tax dollars. It is funded through public donations, fundraising and occasional grants. Our most consistent fundraising activity is the manufacture and sale of our world-famous potholders, completely staffed by volunteers. Most of the shelter work is performed by volunteers who love cats and kittens and who believe in the mission of caring for and helping the most helpless creatures in our communities. There are 3 key full-time positions and several part time positions for which PFOA must pay. Our Executive Director, Special Needs Animal Caretaker and Animal Care Specialist (who is also our live-in Caretaker) are full-time employees. We also have a part-time Shelter Director, Shelter Manager, Office Manager, Shelter Caretaker and Animal Care person who clean, open and close the shelter, perform bookkeeping and other office duties, and fill in wherever needed.

Do you need more volunteers?

PFOA welcomes volunteers to help with the animals and the mission. Cats need grooming and socializing, kittens need play time with humans, litter boxes need emptying, building maintenance sometimes needs attention, envelopes need stuffing…the list is lengthy. But there’s a job for anyone! We also need good foster homes and we have a sponsorship program. Call (360) 452-0414 and leave a message to have someone call you back about being a PFOA volunteer.

Why don’t you have dogs at your shelter?

We have a small-dog foster/adoption program in place with one person coordinating it. We sometimes find a way to foster and adopt out larger dogs, but Safe Haven has limited room for the cats and kittens already in our care. On-site dogs require much more space and care than we can provide at this time.

How do I become a member or volunteer my skills?

A downloadable application with a list of skills needed are available right here. Download the PDF for membership/volunteer application. You can mail your application in to us at PFOA.

Top

Public Hours:
11:00am-4:00pm Tues-Sat
by appointment
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 404
Sequim, WA 98382
Physical Address:
257509 Hwy 101
Port Angeles, WA
Click to
Enlarge
Map
© 2018 Peninsula Friends of Animals. All Rights Reserved.

MIMOSA

Domestic shorthair, female
Color: Tortie
Size: Medium
Age: Young
Special needs: none
Bonded best friend: Willie

This adorable young polydactyl tortie had a litter of six before arriving at Safe Haven. She came from Forks with two other kitties…Willie and Nelson. It was originally thought that Willie and Nelson were a bonded pair, but it turned out that Mimosa and Willie are the bonded pair,  and both were very unhappy when separated.  Now back together, they bath and sleep together all the time!

Mimosa is very keen…and watches things.  In most cases she lets Willie take the lead and he usually does.  She is not a shy kitty.


SPATZI (January 12, 2005 – October 14, 2021)

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Brown w/white
Size: large
Born: January 12, 2005
Special needs: renal insufficiency

We are sad to report that our Spatzi crossed the Rainbow Bridge on the evening of October 14, 2021.

Spatzi was a beautiful Siamese mix.  His companion of the last ten years has been Spanky, a very handsome tuxedo cat. Two of the gentlest souls you will ever meet, they have been the text book example of well-behaved, loving cats. Spatzi was the more outgoing of the two, often greeting you at the door with a friendly meow and a leg rub. Spanky tends to be more laid back, often lounging in a bed or cat tree. He is easily approachable and loves to be petted and fawned over. Spatzi was in early renal insufficiency and was easily maintained with the fluids he was given twice weekly. 




SPANKY

Domestic Shorthair, Male
Color: Black w/White (Tuxedo)
Size: Medium
Born: July 1, 2008 (approx)
Special needs: none

Spanky is a very handsome tuxedo cat.  He was bonded to his “brother” companion, Spatzi for ten years until Spatzi crossed the Rainbow Bridge on October 14, 2021.  Spanky is one of the gentlest souls you will ever meet. He is the text book example of a well-behaved, loving cat. He tends to be more laid back than his brother was, often lounging in a bed or cat tree. He is easily approachable and loves to be petted and fawned over. Spanky has diabetes and receives twice daily insulin shots, but is quite well regulated.  Come and meet this handsome boy and you will discover his purrfect purrsonality for yourself!


Spanky


FAGIN (March, 2003 – September 16, 2021)

FAGIN was born in March, 2003 and had been at Safe Haven since July, 2003. He was a green-eyed, short-haired black male who could best be described as a “big lug” full of love. He would “head butt” and lean into his human and feline friends to show his affection. He liked brushing and belly rubs on occasion, too. Fagin was under dietary restriction, and had been quite successful losing some excess weight. Since 2003, he lived at Barker House with his brother, Thistle.

We are sad to report that on September 16, 2021, Fagin joined his twin brother across the Rainbow Bridge.  As much as we will miss Fagin, we know that he will be so happy to be with his brother again, together, forever.

SUPPORT PFOA!

Donate safely through PAYPAL.
PFOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Fed ID # 91-2127240



Or, send your check or money order to:

PFOA
PO Box 404
Sequim, WA 98382

Our rescue animals thank you!

LUCY-ALICE

One day, in early 2011, a sweet, gentle, affectionate little Manx kitten named Lucy-Alice was adopted from PFOA. Lucy-Alice resembled a very small, very colorful Lynx, with her gorgeous green eyes, pointed tufted ears, and calico tabby markings. It was easy to fall in love with her, and she found the best of homes with a couple who adored her.

What her loving parents didn’t know, was that some Manx cats are afflicted with Manx syndrome, a spinal disorder. The mutation that causes the loss or shortening of the tail also affects the spine, spinal cord and nerves. As a result, cats with this condition may have problems with bowel and bladder control. The condition generally shows up in kittens by the time they are four months old.

Lucy-Alice did not show any signs of Manx syndrome until a year after she was adopted. Of course, by this time, Lucy-Alice was a much loved member of her new family. When she began to have little “accidents”, they hoped that they were just that – simple accidents. But they were attached to Lucy-Alice. She was so loved. “Maybe she will grow out of it,” they thought. “It will just take a little more time.”

After considerable more time, they had to acknowledge that Lucy-Alice would not grow out of it. Their decision was heart-wrenching, but unavoidable. They contacted Nancy, the Shelter Director at Peninsula Friends of Animals. Could PFOA take Lucy-Alice back? This was not a decision to be taken lightly. Lucy-Alice would require a substantial investment of time and money.  A generous gift from a very special supporter allowed PFOA to set up a special area, called “Turtle Towers”, for Lucy-Alice and an older kitten, Bobbie Jo, who also has Manx syndrome. Unfortunately, Bobbie Jo, having lived her first years of life as a single kitty, did not enjoy the company of gregarious Lucy-Alice and trouble broke out between the two girls. It became apparent that the best thing would be to separate the pair. 

Lucy-Alice is one of the sweetest, most loving kitties anyone could ever hope to meet. Everyone who spends any time with her falls irrevocably in love with her. And that’s what happened when Tracy, Animal Caretaker at Barker House, first met Lucy-Alice in the summer of 2016. On a bright, sunny day, a couple of months later, Tracy came to pick up Lucy-Alice and take her to her new home at Barker House, a small PFOA facility designed for the care of special needs animals.  Lucy-Alice will probably remain at Barker House for the rest of her life. There are very few people who have the type of facilities, and the time, money and dedication needed to provide a good home for her. PFOA is committed to providing Lucy-Alice with the best quality of life possible.

We are grateful to the sponsors who contribute to the care of Lucy-Alice, as well as our other special needs animals.  While we still hope that Lucy may find her own family to love and care for her, it is not likely. So, for the rest of her days, Lucy will enjoy her life with her beloved caregiver in the sunny warm rooms of Barker House.

Lucy-Alice

MARTHA

MARTHA was born in May, 2001 and came to PFOA in February, 2002. She loves attention and “talks” to the volunteers who regularly visit her. She was recently placed in a foster home, where she has adjusted well and has a happy home.

SUPPORT PFOA!

Option 1:  Donate safely through PayPal
You may designate what program you wish to support
You may also use this button to set up a monthly recurring donation
PayPal charges PFOA a small processing fee for this service


Option 2:  Donate safely through PayPal Giving
If you wish to avoid PFOA being charged a processing fee,
you may make your donation to a special fund called PayPal Giving.
Just click this button

However, there is no way for you to indicate what your donation is for (e.g. membership dues, sponsorship, etc.)
If you wish to direct your donation, you will need to send us an email with this information.

Option 3:  You may send your check or money order to:

PFOA
PO Box 404
Sequim, WA 98382

Our rescue animals thank you!
PFOA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Fed ID # 91-2127240