This article was featured in WYDaily on 11/24/23.

With pet surrenders and strays at an all-time high, The Heritage Humane Society asks, will you unleash your generosity this Giving Tuesday? If so, the animal shelter will double your donation thanks to the Challenge Match provided by a generous sponsor. In the spirit of holiday deals, this is the best “buy one, get one” or BOGO deal a local homeless pet can receive short of being adopted.

This coming Tues., Nov. 28, 2023 is the annual tradition of Giving Tuesday. Often stylized as #GivingTuesday, it is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It is touted as a “global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world.”

Donating to The Heritage Humane Society, Greater Williamsburg’s largest homeless pet shelter, means 100% of the funds raised stay local. This year, Giving Tuesday also means that for every dollar you donate, it will be matched up to $25,000, but only on this day!

For example, for your Giving Tuesday donation to be doubled, if you give $25, it will be doubled to $50, $100 will be doubled to $200 and so on.

There are three easy ways to give:

• Give online at heritagehumane.org/givingtuesday

• Give by phone 757-221-0150 ext. 0 on Tues., Nov. 28, from 9 AM – 5 PM

• Give by mail (or stop in) The Heritage Humane Society located at 430 Waller Mill Rd. Williamsburg, VA 23185 on Tues., Nov. 28, from 9 AM – 5 PM

Giving Tuesday helped these homeless pets

Just as there are many homeless pets who arrive at the shelter every year, there are many shared needs and special needs. They all need and receive shelter, food, water, wellness care and comfort. Others arrive with more extensive needs. Giving Tuesday donations have made a life-changing impact on every pet who has entered The Heritage Humane Society. Here are some of their heartbreaking turned heartwarming stories.

• The cat who was missing two feet. Sweet Anakin the cat came to The Heritage Humane Society in Feb. 2023. Born without back feet, she had to learn to walk on her front feet and on her back knees, where her legs ended. The amazing thing is that she gets around just fine! Her charming personality, endless purrs and snuggles captured the shelter staff as they comforted her. When Anakin was ready for adoption, the shelter did a social media post, and Michael Fagan, owner of Williamsburg Jewelers, came in to meet Anakin. It ended up being love at first sight and Anakin is now in a happy forever home with two other cats that Michael has adopted – Vadar and Yoda!

•  Emaciated, too weak to walk. Maya the hound came to The Heritage Humane Society in Jan. 2023 after being found in the woods. She was so weak that she could barely walk. When she arrived at the shelter, she was severely emaciated, weighing only 29 lbs., and in need of high levels of medical intervention. With time, medical care made possible with Giving Tuesday donations, and lots of help from the shelter’s volunteers and staff, Maya made a remarkable recovery. Maya was featured on Williamsburg Kia’s Furry Friends Friday earlier this year and received a 100% sponsored adoption because of it. She was adopted in June and her new family has shared updates on her loving life in her new home. She spends her days snoozing on the couch, playing with her new family, and using her hound nose to get into a little mischief.

• Comfort for the weary. Marjorie the dog arrived from another shelter. Pregnant, the worn out, stressed out mother-to-be felt a sense of relief once she stepped foot into The Heritage Humane Society. Having a warm bed and the love of caring people allowed her the comfort to have her litter of four puppies. Marjorie and her babies were placed with an experienced foster who cared for them until they were ready to come back for adoption. Her foster mom and dad fell in love with Marjorie and ended up adopting her and as soon as the puppies were old enough to be spayed/neutered and adopted by their forever homes.

• Miss Olive Garden and the Baby Pastas. Every year, hundreds of orphaned kittens, pregnant cats and nursing mothers with kittens come through the doors of The Heritage Humane Society, including Miss Olive Garden and her litter of six newborn kittens. A shelter environment is not ideal for the immune systems of nursing mothers and neonatal kittens. This is where the shelter’s foster program comes in. With time in a loving foster home, the kittens who bore fitting names such as Breadstick, Chicken Gnocchi, Minestrone and Pasta e Fagioli, grew strong and healthy until they weighed enough to be spayed/neutered and placed up for adoption. Miss Olive Garden found her second chance at a new life within weeks of coming back and the kittens found their forever homes within a day of coming back, a testament to the training and supplies that were made possible thanks to Giving Tuesday donations.

Welcome love this holiday season

Looking to expand your family this holiday season? Now through Dec. 31, 2023, when you adopt an available, adult pet (10 months of age and older), you’ll save 25% off the adoption fee. The Heritage Humane Society has many homeless pets hoping to be adopted in time to spend the holidays in a forever home. Here are just a few:

• Bojangles. Bojangles is planning on flying away to his forever home with his fabulous ears! At just two years old, this smart fella loves to be with people and wants nothing more than to cuddle and play. Bojangles keeps everyone at The Heritage Humane Society laughing every day with his goofy doggie personality. Life with Bojangles is always exciting and promises lots of love.

• Zeek. This soft-eared, doe-eyed little gentleman is Zeek. He is a silly five-year-old beagle boy guaranteed to keep you laughing with his antics. Full of fun Zeek is dog-friendly. He’s the total package packed into a compact little body. If you take him home, he’ll thank you every day with the sweetest hugs and kisses. Zeek was featured earlier this month on #FurryFriendsFriday. That means the kind folks at Williamsburg Kia have kindly sponsored his adoption fee.

• Sammi. At five years old, this young kitty found herself back on the market to find her soul mate. Sammi warms up quickly, flopping to her side for affection, and adores head scratches. This low maintenance gal loves a soft bed, a sunny window, and a full belly. Sammi is a beautiful dilute calico cat who is full of purr-sonality and she’s been patiently waiting for a forever home since June.

The Heritage Humane Society has nearly 200 dogs, cats and small pets currently in their care. Adoptable pets are available to meet during The Heritage Humane Society’s visiting and adopting hours from 12 to 4:30 p.m., Tues. through Sun.

To learn more, visit HeritageHumane.org, call 757-221-0150, or visit The Heritage Humane Society located at 430 Waller Mill Rd, Williamsburg, VA 23185.

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