Community Resources

Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Services

Currently TOAR is working with area vets and national groups to offer low-cost spay/neuter services. Please email us to inquire about getting your pet spayed/neutered. 

Community Cats

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY CAT?

Community cats, also called feral cats, are unowned cats who live outdoors. Like indoor cats, they belong to the domestic cat species (felis catus). However, community cats are generally not socialized, or friendly, to people, and are therefore unadoptable. They live full, healthy lives with their feline families, called colonies, in their outdoor homes.

WHY DO I SEE COMMUNITY CATS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?

Community cats live outdoors. Like all animals, community cats settle where food and shelter are available, and they are naturally skilled at finding these on their own. Because they are unsocialized, community cats usually are unable live indoors with people, and are many times unadoptable. Community cats should not be taken to animal shelters. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the humane, effective, and mainstream approach to addressing community cat populations.

WHAT IS TRAP-NEUTER-RETURN?

In a TNR program, community cats are humanely trapped, brought to a spay/neuter clinic to be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, ear-tipped (the universal sign that a cat is part of a TNR program), and then returned to their outdoor homes. Kittens can be socialized and then adopted. Adult cats who are socialized can be also be adopted, but they can also be returned outdoors, where they will continue to thrive. This is why fosters play such an important role in cat and kitten socialization and animal rescue. If you are interested in fostering to help our community cats and kittens please email TOAR! TNR improves cats’ lives and provides an effective, humane, and collaborative way for communities to coexist with cats. To learn more, including how to conduct TNR, call Okanogan Regional Humane at 509-422-9960.

Surrendering Your Pet

Team Okanogan Animal Rescue realizes that the decision to surrender your pet can be difficult. We believe strongly in serving as a resource and helping you problem solve. If you are considering rehoming your pet, please contact us. We may be able to offer assistance to help you retain your pet or offer other assistance as needed.

Lost/Found Pets

YOU FOUND A PET

You found a pet, now what? The first step is to safely secure the animal to prevent it from running away or getting injured. Take the animal to a local veterinarian and have it scanned for a microchip. Microchipped pets are much easier to reunite with owners! No chip? Utilizing the local lost and found pets pages on Facebook is the next step. Many pet owners will post their lost animals on social media. Fostering the animal while looking for its owner will prevent even more overcrowding at area shelters. Can't foster? Please see the Okanogan County Animal Resources section below for more info.

Lost and Found Pets Facebook Page

OkanDogs Lost and Found Pets  Facebook Page

Okanogan County Lost & Found Animals Facebook Page

YOU LOST A PET

Has your pet gone missing? The first thing you should do is post its photo on local lost and found pet pages. Contacting area Animal Control officers and animal shelters will also be helpful. See below for Okanogan County animal rescues and ACO info. 

YOU FOUND A KITTEN

Kittens are often found outdoors during "kitten season" during the spring, summer, and even fall seasons. Often their mothers are nearby. However, there are times kittens are without a mother and knowing how to help can be difficult. Please read this to know what to do if you find a kitten! Doing the right thing could save it's life!

Okanogan County Animal Resources

Area rescues are overcrowded and overwhelmed. If you can, fostering an animal while looking for the owner is most helpful. If you are not able to foster, contacting your local ACO or animal rescue is the next step. We are trying to ensure the future of animal control in our county and need all reports to go through dispatch.  Please do not call the ACO directly.

City of Omak Animal Control-dispatch-509-422-7232

Colville Tribal Animal Control-dispatch-509-634-2472

Animal Foster Care Cat Shelter-509-422-3364

Fur Ever Yours Dog Rescue

Speak Up to Help!

Okanogan County continues to deal with severe overpopulation issues. In 2022 over 3,200 pets were taken in by area rescues. This does not account for the hundreds of others not helped. TOAR is working diligently to address these overpopulation issues but we need your help!

Animal Concerns:

• ZERO funding is provided for animal welfare in Okanogan County 

• Area rescues are dependent upon donations and loyal volunteers to keep serving animals

• Community cats (feral) continue to reproduce, adding to overpopulation issues

• Dogs and cats are dumped and left to fend for themselves because rescues are full

You can help by contacting your ELECTED Officials and your local legislators. Encourage them to fund animal welfare in Okanogan County to help us solve these issues.

EMAIL THEM TODAY!

Chris Branch-County Commissioner

Andy Hover-County Commissioner

Jon Neal-County Commissioner

Patty Murray-US Senator

Shelly Short-State Senator

Jacquelin Maycumber-State Representative

Joel Kretz-State Representative