Emerald City Pet Rescue Blog

At Emerald City Pet Rescue, the animals always come first. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals in need, and an important aspect of this is increasing public awareness of the rescue effort at large. It especially touches our hearts when the youth of today show interest in helping animals in need.

On Saturday, May 4^th, Girl Scout Troop 40149 visited ECPR to present us with a donation of 10 percent of their cookie sales, which totaled $230!

The Troop got to spend time in our meet-and-greet room with some of our ECPR alumni ambassador dogs, as well as adorable Chiweenie pup, Dobby, who just received an adoption contract! They learned about all of the different places from which we rescue our animals, how we care for them, and the steps of our adoption process.

With so many choices of places to help, we are honored that this group chose to donate to our non-profit rescue. It's wonderful to see young people enthusiastic about helping animals, and we are so very appreciative of their generosity!

Thank you, Troop 40149!

We love pet-themed holidays! Days like today are a great opportunity to remind everyone how important and special it is to invite a rescue pet to become a permanent member of your family.

Why Adopt Instead of Shop?

Many pets find themselves homeless through no fault of their own. Some are from breeding facilities or puppy mills, and are abandoned or relinquished when they are not purchased or can no longer produce puppies for sale. Others are given up by their homes, or lost as strays, and they end up at risk of euthanasia in overcrowded shelters. Sometimes, a loving family's circumstances change in unexpected ways, and finding a new home for their beloved pet is a difficult decision that must be made for the pet's best interest. No matter how a pet ends up as a rescue, they all have the same dream -- to be safe, to feel secure, and to know that they are loved. When you decide to adopt a rescue pet, you are taking an animal into your home that has experienced life, in varying degrees, without a home. You are offering them a tremendous gift, and the love that you will receive back from them is tenfold.

If you aren’t ready to adopt, that’s okay! There are many ways in which you can help rescue pets even if you cannot adopt one as a permanent member of your family. Fostering is a great option to help a pet along their rescue journey! Here at Emerald City Pet Rescue, we have an active foster program. Although we do our best to provide a positive experience for them here at the rescue while they wait to find forever homes, some animals do much better in a home environment. You can provide a rescue pet with an opportunity to de-stress and allow their true personalities to emerge by fostering while we take care of the financial costs of caring for that pet, including veterinary bills and medications. Click here to learn more about our foster program!

Perhaps you are not in a position to be able to foster, but you still want to help. Donating is another great way to get involved and support rescue animals in need! Your donation will help rescue pets receive food, bedding, vaccinations, spays/neuters, dentals, and any other care that they require prior to adoption. You can also donate goods! Pet beds and blankets are always needed at your local shelter or rescue.

Do you have a little bit of free time? Consider volunteering! Our volunteers do everything from helping to ensure that our facilities are in tip-top shape, to spending time directly with the animals, to attending outreach events such as monthly visits to senior centers.

Last but certainly not least, if you're active on social media, sharing pets that are posted as available for adoption is another great way to support rescue animals. The more people that a pet's profile reaches, the better the chances that the right family will find the pet that best matches their lifestyle!

So you see, even if you can't adopt a pet on National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, there are still so many ways in which you can help and get involved. We have a wonderful, pet-loving community here in Seattle, and Emerald City Pet Rescue is proud to be a part of it!

It's National Pet Day! Here at Emerald City Pet Rescue, we give all of the rescue pets lots of snuggles every day, but today, we're trying hard to squeeze in just one more so that they know how truly special they are. We know that their forever homes are out there somewhere, just waiting to find them!

Every month, we choose an adoptable dog, cat, and critter to feature as Pets of the Month. This National Pet Day, we would like to highlight these cuties, and ask that you spread the word in your community -- every bit helps to assist us in finding the perfect forever home for these pets!

Meet our Dog(s) of the Month, bonded pair Oppie and Wiley! These two are true best friends who have playful and affectionate personalities. They both love attention and warm up quickly to just about everyone they meet. Oppie and Wiley walk beautifully on the leash and get along with other dogs and confident cats. Wiley plays fetch with herself and Oppie thinks he is a lap dog. They would thrive in a home with a fenced backyard and children who have big dog experience. Learn more about Oppie and Wiley: https://www.emeraldcitypetrescue.org/our-animals/dogs/oppie-and-wiley/.

Our Cat of the Month is a very special kitty who is available as a forever-foster. What does that mean? Nickel is searching for a loving home where he can live out the rest of his days, but Emerald City Pet Rescue will continue to provide for his unique medical care. Nickel has a heart murmur, and takes medications and injections for hyperthyroidism, high blood pressure, and anemia. As an older senior, Nickel prefers peace and quiet rather than lots of activity; his favorite things include curling up on heated beds and being softly brushed. In the past, he has coexisted peacefully with respectful cats and small dogs. Due to his fragility, Nickel would do better in a home with no children. Learn more about Nickel: https://www.emeraldcitypetrescue.org/our-animals/cats/nickel/.

Last but certainly not least, our Critter of the Month is Sapphire, a chinchilla! Sapphire is three years old and he weighs four pounds. He is a very social, curious, and adventurous chinchilla. He is very sweet, and quick to warm up to new people. He is quite comfortable and happy in his large habitat. He has not lived with other chinchillas before, but he could potentially be introduced to a resident chinchilla. Sapphire must be an indoor-only chinchilla. Learn more about Sapphire: https://www.emeraldcitypetrescue.org/our-animals/critters/sapphire/.

If you're interested in adopting any of these wonderful furry friends, please give us a call at (206) 557-4661.

More and more people are turning to rescues when they decide to add a cat or a dog to their families, but did you know that rescues often have smaller critters available for adoption, as well?

Meet Sapphire, an adoptable chinchilla here at Emerald City Pet Rescue! This cute little guy is three years old, four pounds, and a whole lot of fun! He is social, sweet, and quick to warm up to new people. Sapphire has not lived with other chinchillas before, but could potentially be introduced to a resident chinchilla. Sapphire must be an indoor chinchilla.

Aside from the obvious fact that chinchillas are adorable, we'd like to offer you some fun Chin-formation!

1. They have a longer lifespan than a lot of other small, furry friends. They can live into their teens and some of them live up to 20 years. If you're thinking of getting a chinchilla as a pet, this is important to keep in mind because it is a long commitment!
   
   
2. Chinchillas have a wide range of vocal sounds, and they can make different sounds in different tones. They enjoy communicating, so it's very fun to get to know your chinchilla and slowly familiarize yourself with his or her individual sounds and learn what they are trying to convey.
   
   
3. Chinchillas have special fur for a reason! In the wild, their fur has helped them survive in freezing temperatures at elevations up to 16,500 feet! It's important to note that due to being equipped for colder weather, a chinchilla cannot survive in temperatures over 80 degrees Fahrenheit. To make sure your pet chinchilla does not suffer heat stroke, be very mindful of the temperature of his or her environment!
   
   
4. While chinchillas are often lumped into the same "small and furry" group as rabbits, they are quite different in many ways. Chins are actually more closely related to guinea pigs and porcupines. Their dietary needs are also quite different from rabbits, so before deciding to adopt a chinchilla, please chat with your vet about a proper diet for your chin!
   
   
5. While a lot of chinchillas that we see as pets come in a blueish-greyish color (the dominant fur color,) in the wild, some chinchillas have yellow-gray fur. Some even have beige, white, or ebony coats!
   
   
6. Chinchillas may nip if they are handled inappropriately. They can make great pets for older children, but they must first get used to being handled. It is recommended that an adult supervise their children with a chinchilla until they are confident that the child can properly handle the chinchilla without the chin feeling stressed.

Chinchillas are fascinating creatures, and we are already in love with our adoptable guy, Sapphire! If you are ready to add a chinchilla to your family and you are interested in meeting Sapphire, please call Emerald City Pet Rescue at (206) 557-4661.