I consider myself a hardcore animal lover but had no idea what that really meant until I visited C.A.R.E.S. last week. C.A.R.E.S. (Community Animal Resource & Education Society) is in Burien, my neighborhood. I’d never been there; I didn’t want to go either. Growing up in Bellevue meant visiting the King County Animal Shelter when it was time to think about pet adoption, there were no Internet sites to look at cute puppy or kitten pictures first, you had to just go to the shelter, it was a loud, smelly, and heart-breaking experience. One that I would never willingly subject myself to again without very good reason.

An Eye-Opening Experience

My preconceived idea and I walked into C.A.R.E.S. and boy was I surprised by what I found! This 8,000 sq ft. facility is nothing short of a boutique pet haven. Lovingly built with blood, sweat and tears fueled by a deep-rooted passion and need to save, rescue, and re-home animals, in 2012, C.A.R.E.S. opened to our community making it the first “animal shelter” in Burien, for Burien, managed by Burien. Our community now has a full-service “animal resource center” with 2 full-time Animal Control Officers. Gone are the days of searching multiple shelters in King County for your lost pet, or waiting days for control officers servicing multiple cities to assist us.

A Pet’s View

The majority of cats and dogs are strays or loose from their yard and a few surrenders and seizures. Upon arrival, the pets are scanned for an ID microchip, quarantined in a ventilated room to prevent the spread of possible disease, then taken to one of Burien’s local veterinarians for a visit which can include bringing vaccinations to-date and spay or neuter procedures. Once the animal has a clean bill of health it returns to C.A.R.E.S. where 72 hours must pass before he/she can be put up for adoption. During this time, the volunteers at C.A.R.E.S. place ads on social media such as Facebook and Craigslist, making every effort to find the animals family. After the waiting period, the animal is licensed by C.A.R.E.S., (these fees are returned to the City) and the animal is actively re-homed.

Catering primarily to dogs and cats, C.A.R.E.S. offers separate holding areas.
Each area is individually ventilated, I was utterly shocked how there were no odors! It actually smelled nice and there was quiet, peaceful music playing. Cats have 3 story “cat condos” in which they can climb and lounge while looking out the window until they are adopted. Dogs have large pens with beds, blankets and toys but spend minimal time there, some 120+ volunteers are always on hand to walk the dogs or supervise them in the outdoor play area located in the back alley. There are full-service bathing stations where they are fluffed and pampered. It’s a sweet deal, these happy animals equate to a high re-home rate for C.A.R.E.S.

And it’s not just for cats and dogs, C.A.R.E.S. will take any domestic animal from chickens to goats, they’ve even had a few snakes come their way! By developing relationships with local rescue organizations and farms, they draw on these resources for re-homing.

Community Outreach and Education

The passion for animal welfare spills over into the community in the form of education as well. C.A.R.E.S. boasts two meet and greet rooms where people of all ages and backgrounds can interact with animals. These rooms double as areas where kids from neighboring schools can visit and learn. There is a special needs program as well. Volunteers regularly take animals to Elementary, Middle and High Schools in Burien as well as Girl and Boy Scout groups to educate on the importance of spay/neuter and the responsibility and commitment of adding a pet to the family.

C.A.R.E.S. offers a small retail area where low-income pet owners can purchase anything from crates and collars to deeply discounted pet food, all of these items are donated by local pet stores and/or Burien residents. It’s a beautiful thing.

How You Can Get Involved
It is refreshing to know that we have such passionate animal advocates working for our community, this group of people have dedicated themselves to a higher level of service and they have achieved that within the boundaries of the financial restraints that can come with operating a non-profit 501C3.

As with any not-for-profit community service, C.A.R.E.S. relies heavily on donations and volunteer work. During the course of the year they hold several fundraising events that are fun for the whole family, this August, 23rd they’re hosting a Mariner’s game at Safeco Field on Salute to Kids Day, part of your ticket price goes back to C.A.R.E.S. See www.Mariners.com/CARES for details.
And don’t miss their booth at the Burien Farmer’s Market every Thursday, they have a hotdog cart!

You can find more information including their contact info, phone and address here: http://www.buriencares.org/ .And be sure join their Facebook page to keep up on the latest news and pets for adoption: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Burien-CARES/241579422536735