This article was featured in WYDaily on 11/25/22.

The countdown is on for Giving Tuesday to support the 300+ homeless dogs, cats, and other pets at The Heritage Humane Society. This global day of giving takes place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, so this year, it will be on Nov. 29. For this year, a generous group of donors is poised to match every donated dollar, too.

What is Giving Tuesday?

Giving Tuesday is a global movement. It was created in 2012 as a simple idea of a day that encourages people to do good. It can be volunteering or donating to a favorite cause, such as The Heritage Humane Society.

This worldwide giving event brings together individuals, families, organizations, businesses, and communities to benefit the greater good. It harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. Giving Tuesday inspires people to take collective action to improve their communities and give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they believe in.

“For so many, this time of year brings about colors of the season, festive gatherings, and lots of gift giving. As a nonprofit, Giving Tuesday is a critical part of our holiday season because every homeless pet here at The Heritage Humane Society is in need of basic food, shelter, and care, to help them until they find their forever home,” shares Kimberly Laska, Executive Director of The Heritage Humane Society.

Help earn the matching gift

This year, The Heritage Humane Society is asking the community to you to consider making a donation on Giving Tuesday so it can go twice as far. The Jimmy Maloney Foundation and other generous donors are offering a $15,000 gift match. The Jimmy Maloney Foundation was founded by Kim Maloney in honor of her late husband Jimmy Maloney, the founder of the Williamsburg Pottery. They have been The Heritage Humane Society’s generous gift match partners for the past four years. This means, for every dollar given, it is matched and the life-saving impact on the lives of homeless pets is doubled.

To join the journey, Giving Tuesday gifts can be made four different ways and only on Nov. 29:

• Online. Donate online

• In person. Stop by the Adoption Center to donate in person between 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Mail. Complete the Giving Tuesday donation form and mail in payment to 430 Waller Mill Rd., Williamsburg, VA 23185.

• Call. Phone the Adoption Center, which can take payment over the phone between 8:30 am – 5pm. 757-221-0150 ext.0.

What does a life-saving donation look like?

The Heritage Humane Society operates seven days a week, 365 days a year. For 2022, the shelter’s pet numbers have been higher than in recent years. To date, 1,603 pets have received care including 162 transferred in from other shelters and rescues. There have been 1,207 adoptions this year, eclipsing the 2021 adoption total.

It takes $3,000 a day to operate The Heritage Humane Society Adoption Center. For a better understanding, the shelter provides examples of how donations are needed for daily care for its homeless pets:

• $25 – provides a set of vaccines for one pet upon arrival at the shelter

• $50 – provides enrichment activities for all pets for one week

• $100 – covers spay/neuter costs for one pet before adoption

• $250 – sponsor food for most sheltered pets for one week

• $350 – sponsors the cost for one pet from intake to adoption

• $500 – provides urgent veterinary care for an emergency intake

Dora and Grandma are just two of the current shelter pets who are hoping to find their forever homes in the coming days.

• Meet Dora. Say hello to Dora the Explorer. She is a 2-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier mix. She was found as a stray living in the woods and evaded capture for close to a month. The shelter team is not sure how long she spent living without human companionship, and when she arrived at The Heritage Humane Society, it was clear that Dora hadn’t been around people for a long time. She’s made incredible progress with the staff at the shelter and has a few people who she really has learned to trust. Her biggest requirement is that her new family must have another confident dog to help teach her the ropes. Dora is at her best when she can follow the lead of another dog. Dora is ready to pack her backpack and head off on a new fun adventure with her perfect family.

• Meet Grandma. This feisty 15-year-old cat with fur as white as snow is searching for a home. Grandma reportedly lived her whole life as an indoor/outdoor cat, but as she is getting up there in age, she is looking for a cozy home. This lady doesn’t want snuggles and cat toys. Grandma wants a soft spot to lay, and some peace and quiet. Her ears are a little bit curled from her past experience, but it makes them all the better to ignore you with. Grandma’s senior blood work showed that she is hyperthyroid and she is currently receiving thyroid medication twice a day. If you think you can give Grandma a soft place to rest for the remainder of her days, please come and visit her.

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