This article was featured in WYDaily on 4/21/23.

The Heritage Humane Society is asking the community to Give Shelter, Give Peace, Give Local 757 for a much-needed new roof and soothing sound system for stressed shelter pets. In addition to feeling great knowing local donations are staying right here in the local community, the faster people give, the better the chances the shelter can win additional prizes from Give Local 757. Generous supporters of The Heritage Humane Society will match every dollar donated during the 24-hour period up to $30,000.

How giving local, helps local

Give Local 757 invites everyone throughout Hampton Roads to demonstrate goodwill and kindness by donating toward their favorite non-profit organization. This year, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Give Local 757, the day of giving begins at 10 a.m. on April 25 and concludes at 10 a.m. on April 26.

The Heritage Humane Society is one of the partnering organizations that can receive donations through Give Local 757.

Raise the Ruff

Greater Williamsburg’s largest animal shelter is in great need of a new roof over the original portion of its facility housing the homeless dogs, cats, and small critters. Generous supporters of The Heritage Humane Society will match every dollar donated during the 24-hour period up to $30,000.

Peninsula-based Pyramid Roofing is contracted to begin the roofing project. To help potential donors understand how their donations will be applied, the company provided some dollar-by-dollar breakdown examples:

• $10 for one (1) tube of roofing caulk to seal various flashings and penetrations

• $25 for one (1) metal sleeve to flash around the plumbing vents

• $50 for one (1) box of roofing nails

• $100 for one (1) roll of coil stock to install new flashing around the vent stacks

• $200 for two (2) bundles of ridge caps, which are the shingles that go on the top peaks of the roof

• $500 for 500 sq ft or “(5) squares” of roofing shingles

As the Pyramid Roofing team prepares to take on the project, they are having fun getting into the shelter spirit as Holly Adams, Client Advisor for Pyramid Roofing, shared:

“The Heritage Humane Society is getting a facelift and we’re so DOG-GONE excited! We’re just itching to have our current roof replaced by Pyramid Roofing (or as our residents like to call it Pyramid “Woofing“) with brand new Atlas Pinnacle Pristine “Pewter” architectural shingles with the power of Scotchgard™ Protector and a 130 mph wind limited warranty & puuur-fectly installed synthetic underlayment! But we’re asking for your help, as we depend on the support of the community members to aid in our mission to provide our animals with their fuuurrr-ever homes, to donate to this cause. Look for an itemized list of what your monetary donations will help supply. We’re not kitten when we tell you how grateful and thankful we are for your support in raising our woof!”

Pump up the tunes

Shelter conditions are naturally hard for homeless animals. Constant noise, strange faces, and busy days can be stressful for pets living in shelters. Just like their human counterparts, music can be a life-changing source of comfort, quelling anxiety and instilling peace of mind. In addition to the plea to help fund the roofing project, The Heritage Humane Society is hoping the community will be so generous with their Give Local 757 donations that they can add a sound system.

Pets’ hearing is exceptional with dogs hearing more than three times the frequency range as humans. In the shelter world of unexpected noises and voices, sounds can be extremely unnerving for the pets being sheltered. When pets are unnerved, it is even harder for potential adopters to figure out if they will be an ideal match in their home.

As important as it is for shelters to prevent unnecessary noise pollution by sealing windows and insulating walls and flooring, research reveals that pets can benefit from soothing sounds. Studies show that the stress hormone, cortisol, will decrease with soft rock, reggae and classical music. It lulls them to sleep longer, not pace in agitation, and not bark in frustration. The same is found with audiobooks. Hearing the sounds of calm voices imbues calmness for listening pets. This simple form of stress-control and enrichment can lead to better outcomes in terms of pets relaxing so their true personalities show.

How to Give Local 757 – and win!

Give Local 757 is from 10 a.m. on April 25 to 10 a.m. on April 26, 2023. People can give the following ways:

• In-person. Come to the Adoption Center at The Heritage Humane Society from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 25 and 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on April 26. For added fun, baristas from the Starbucks in Williamsburg Marketplace are generously serving Give Local 757 donors complimentary iced coffee tea at the shelter on April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• Online. For your donation to be doubled, give online at givelocal757.org/organizations/heritage-humane-society

• Call. Dial 757-221-0150 ext. 0 on April 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and April 26 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The more the community supports The Heritage Humane Society for this year’s Give Local 757, the more the shelter has a chance to win additional donations. Give Local 757 is giving away $30,000 in prizes throughout the 24-hour period. The two prizes the shelter is striving for include:

• The 50/50 Challenge of being the first participating nonprofit between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on April 25 to receive 50 unique donations of $50 or more.

• The Happy Hour Prize from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 25 for receiving the highest number of unique donations during this time with donations of $10 or more counting towards the goal.

Ready for a new furry (or not so furry) friend?

The Heritage Humane Society has more than 180 adoptable cats, dogs, and small pets 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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