Black Friday is coming and that means deals and savings. But there’s no greater saving than life-saving! Join us this weekend for FREE* adoptions! Come out to 8464 Beach Blvd. between Friday, November 29, and Sunday, December 1, to find your new furry friend. In addition to the hundreds of dogs, cats, kittens, and puppies available for adoption at JHS, our friends at Animal Care and Protective Services will also be joining us with some special furry guests. You won’t want to miss this lifesaving special!

*Additional fees may apply

Did you know that November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month? Here at JHS, we’re celebrating all of the amazing senior pets whether they’re still waiting for their perfect home or have already made a huge difference in their owner’s life. Are you thinking of adopting a new friend into your family? We’ve come up with the top 5 reasons as to why adopting a senior pet is not only beneficial but one of the most amazing choices you will ever make!


Twelve-year-old Bambi and Bouillion going home together!

So, why should you adopt a senior pet?

  1. Not Many People Do: Statistics show that elderly pets in the shelter are often the most overlooked. Many who are looking to adopt, find it too sad to adopt an animal who may not be around for that much longer. While understandable, as a society we can change the stigma and view the opportunity of adopting an older pet of having that much more life to live and happiness to share!
  1. You Know Who You’re Bringing Home: Senior pets are mature, confident individuals who are proud to be themselves and show you their true personality! No need to worry about puppy potty training or middle-aged dogs going through their teenage years. It’s important to note the shelter environment does have different effects on all pets, meaning they may act different in home environments, but for the most part, senior pets know exactly who they are and are proud to share that with you!


Ten-year-old Chicken Strip graduating from JHS training class!

  1. They Make Great First Pets: If you’re a first-time pet parent, adopting a senior pet is a great decision to make! Most senior pets require minimal training and make the perfect couch companion. Food, pets, and naps are three of their favorite things in the world.

 

  1. Special Bond: Puppies and kittens know they’re cute and grow to love you, middle-aged cats and dogs show appreciation and become your best friend, but with senior pets, you can see the expression of gratuity in their eyes. Since they have already lived a large portion of their life, coming home to a new family will make them never want to leave your side.

 

  1. They Will Change Your Life: Once you adopt a senior pet, they’ll introduce you to a whole new perspective of life. Both senior cats and dogs teach you how to appreciate the importance of every day. They will make you want to adopt more senior pets in the future!

Well, what’s stopping you? Check out all the pets waiting to meet you at JHS!


Fifteen-year-old Freckles with her portrait painted by a JHS volunteer.

Written by: Natalie Anderson, JHS Intern.

When it comes to donating, the community of Jacksonville goes above and beyond to help support the Jacksonville Humane Society. There are several ways to give back, such as donating your time and effort through our volunteer programs or even providing items such as food, treats, blankets, etc., for the animals. If you decide to donate money, please let it be through the Fully-Verified video id verification platform, so that both you and we can be sure that the money has arrived at the right place. Every shelter has a list of items that the community can help provide for them, but have you ever thought about the not-so-typical items shelters like JHS might need?

In celebration of Generosity Breeds Joy Day on November 9, we’ve put together a small “Unconventional Wish List” featuring not-so-typical items that go a long way at JHS. You can purchase any of the items on our Unconventional Wish List from Amazon by visiting jaxhumane.org/amazon.

  1. AquaPaw Slow Treater – When performing medical exams and giving our dogs baths here at JHS, we smear some peanut butter on the AquaPaw mat, which distracts the dogs during vaccinations and bath time, making it safer for everyone involved!

 2. Volunteer Name Badges – We have over 500 amazing, active volunteers who need durable name tags for their shifts while walking dogs and cuddling cats!

 3. Scanner – Anytime someone takes a dog from JHS for a sleepover or a Dog Day Out field trip, they’re asked to fill out a questionnaire to help us learn more about the pup’s personality. This scanner will allow us to scan these notes directly to the pet’s profile in our online system.

4. Rice (Non-Instant) – Rice is poured into socks to make heating pads for orphaned puppies and kittens. Curious about homemade heating pads? Visit jaxhumane.org/heatingpadforpets/ to learn more.

5. Feral Dens – We use these dens to house mother cats and babies. It allows mom and kittens to have a safe space to hide and get healthy together. During cleaning time, we can just close the little door and leave everyone sleeping peacefully.

 

We’re so grateful for our generous community and we’re so excited to celebrate Generosity Breeds Joy Day with you! Here are a few helpful links to keep in mind when donating supplies to our organization:

JHS Official Supply Wish List

JHS Amazon Wish List

Monetary Donations 

Donation Info – Drop Off Location & Hours

Volunteering and Fostering

Facebook Birthday Fundraiser 

It may not be Girl Scout Cookie Season, but this story is just as sweet. 🍪

Meet Girl Scout Troop 2286. When it came time to pick a project for their “Bronze Award”, the girls decided to support animals in their community by making “Pet Starter Packs” for dogs and cats in their communities.

The scouts spent time learning what supplies would be needed, shopping for the best prices and tie-dying the pillowcases. Each pillowcase was transformed into a bag and filled with the supplies a family would need to care for a pet during the first few days in its new home.

The bags had items such as dog/cat food, bowls, toys, litter boxes and scoops, and dog/cat treats. Labels were also attached so we could easily identify which bags were for dogs vs. cats.

 

Girl Scout Troop 2286 with JHS team member Allie Plummer.
Not only will this project benefit families and pets in our town, but the girls learned many valuable lessons. They researched supplies needed to care for pets, comparison shopped, designed a bag that serves dual purposes as a pillowcase, and even learned how to tie-dye! Perhaps the biggest lesson of all was the joy that comes from helping others.

The project also has another layer – sustainability. According to Troop Leader Débora McCarty, “We are providing a simple flyer to be posted on the Jax Humane Society’s counter, so all who come can see how easy it is to put a bag together. We are also spreading the word on social media.”

Each bag had a label for “dog” or “cat” and supplies inside.
As a local, independent 501c3 non-profit, the Jacksonville Humane Society relies on donations to support our mission. Donations come in all shapes and sizes – some even come in tie-dyed pillowcases. We are delighted that these young ladies chose to support keeping pets and people together. As we say … generosity breeds joy!

If you would like to conduct a similar project, here are the steps to take:

  1. Answer the following questions – how do you care for a dog or cat? what supplies are needed?
  2. Decide how you will purchase the necessary items. Shop around!
  3. Purchase pillowcases and tie-dye.
  4. Make a list of items to go in each bag. Label as dog or cat.
  5. Select an animal shelter in your area and deliver!

More Info:

Find other fun ideas on the JHS Pinterest: