Click image to see larger version.

Do you know me?

I am a female 7-year old cat.

I was found on 128th Street in Burien.

I have no collar and a few scratches on my face.

I am a very sweet girl.

If you recognize this cat, please contact Burien Cares at 206-81-CARES.

During the month of February, the Spay and Neuter Clinic at the Seattle Animal Shelter will spay female cats for a special rate of $20. This includes the surgery, FvRCP and rabies vaccinations and microchip (if desired).

If you would like to participate in this event, please call CARES to schedule your appointment. CARES will be shuttling cats to the clinic on 3 Thursdays in February:

• Feb. 9th
• Feb. 16th
• Feb. 23rd

Drop off is from 7:30-8:30 a.m. in the morning and your pet will be ready for pick-up between 5:00-6:00 p.m. that same day.

You will need to call CARES at (206) 81-CARES to schedule your appointment in advance. There will be 8 spots available on each Thursday and your $20 payment will hold your spot.

For more information, check out CARES’ Facebook Events Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/330792720274597/

Meet Pandora & Tinkie!
We are 7-year old Females.
We have lived together our whole lives, but recently our owner passed away.
We would like to find a home where we could stay together.
We don’t get along with other cats but make up for that it snuggles.
We also love to talk and have our heads scratched!!
We are both altered and up to date on our shots.
Come meet us today!!!

Meet Maximus!
I am a 7yr old Male Lab/Sheppard Mix.
I am playful and very social.
I enjoy other dogs and children.
My hobbies are running and hopping.
I am Neutered and up to date on all of my shots.

If you would like to meet either animal for a possible adoption or for fostering, contact CARES at:

buriencares@gmail.com

or

(206) 81-CARES

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

Burien’s CARES Animal Control Organization announced this week that it plans to move into a larger facility in 2012, in a building located at 909 SW 151st Street, just west of the Taqueria El Rinconsito Mexican Restaurant.

“The new site is 7500 square feet and will be able to accommodate our inbound animals and their needs more efficiently,” reads a press release. “Currently some of our animals are housed with sub-contractors and foster families. The new facility will have a storefront offering retail products and featuring an animal adoption center. It will also have inside kenneling and holding facilities and adoption rooms where potential pet owners can interact with an adoptable animal to see if they are a good match. We will also be sharing some of our space with a dog daycare on site as well as a dog self wash area. We start construction in December and hope to occupy by early 2012.”

We spoke with CARES Director Debra George, who gave us a tour of the building Wednesday morning (Nov. 16).

“Having this new space will not increase our current monthly costs,” George said. “We contract out all our boarding and kenneling, so moving everything into one central location will actually help us become more efficient since we’ll control everything.”

Plans are to build 30 kennels, with eight ready at the opening (slated for sometime in January), a dog wash area shared with ‘Paws and Relax,’ a reception area with some retail, a cattery and more.

George said that they’re currently looking for volunteers and in-kind donations to help build out the new building, which should cost “no less than $20,000 to remodel,” she added. If you’re a carpenter, contractor, plumber or have other skills or materials that you can donate, please email her at debrageorgemi@aol.com.

CARES will also be holding some fundraisers in the near future, so stay tuned to the blog for more info.

Here are some exclusive photos of the new facility, as photographed by Scott Schaefer:

CARES' new facility will be in this building at 909 SW 151st Street near Ambaum Blvd. SW.

The main reception area will be inside the blue-colored door on the right.

Pending some remodeling, this will be the main reception area.

Kennels and adoption rooms will be built in this area.

A dog wash area will be located in the area that most recently housed a liquidation store.

CARES Director Debra George shows off the plans for the remodel.

CARES has also added three new members to its Board of Directors:

• Ray Helms brings with him over 10 years of business experience as an entrepreneur working with cities and their programs for Federal Way, Burien and 4 Culture. He is on a planning commission for Burien as well as an employee of the City of Burien.
• Denise Ferguson brings to the board over 10 years experience as a business owner in Burien and expertise in human resources.
• Cindy Joaquin joins the board also with her extensive 30 years of experience in accounting and bookkeeping as well as her 12 years of service to the King County Southwest Chamber of Commerce.

Here’s more from a press release:

Debra George currently serves the board as the President and also as the volunteer Director of the CARES organization. All of the Board of Directors are animal advocates and are committed to the best support and care in the rescue and welfare of all animals within the City of Burien. Recently the organization lost two founding volunteers whose enormous help, work and commitment is greatly appreciated. We are a better organization for having had their support and we wish them all the best.

As a new non-profit, our daily focus continues to be the highest level of welfare for the animals in the City of Burien. The organizations daily operations are managed by the volunteer Director. CARES employs a thoroughly trained Animal Control Officer and an Office Manager/Animal Placement Specialist. The organization fully follows the Policies and Procedures provided by the City of Burien in the execution of it’s contractual commitments regarding animal control. Each day brings this new organization closer to its goals and we anticipate many success stories in the months and years to come with the training, help and hard work of our employees and volunteers.

Join us during the Winterfest celebration on December 3rd for dog photos with Santa in front of OptiMark at 916 SW 152nd Street. There will also be a small silent auction with some great gift items. All proceeds and donations will benefit Burien CARES.”

You can find additional information about CARES at www.buriencares.com or contact the CARES office at (206) 812-2737.

The address is 113 SW 153rd Street in Burien.

The adoption fee ranges from $50-$100, payable by cash or check only.

All cats and kittens have been spayed or neutered, combo tested, have initial vaccines, & have been treated for parasites.

All of their cats and kittens are rescued.

Questions? (206) 719-4864 or visit their website at www.fafseattle.org.

Burien’s new CARES (‘Community Animal Resource & Education Society’) Animal Control recently rescued over 60 cats that were living with one person in Burien, and they’re hoping BTB Readers will lend a paw hand in finding homes for them.

CARES is waiving the usual $60 adoption fee as an incentive, but since these fees help fund CARES’ work, anyone who wishes to donate the fee back to CARES is greatly appreciated.

They initiated the rescue because the overwhelming number of cats had become an issue. With the owner’s agreement, CARES will remove the cats eight at a time and take them to the nonprofit Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project for spaying, neutering, checkup and rabies vaccination. The first appointments have been set for Oct. 3 and Oct. 6, and the cats will need homes immediately afterward.

CARES volunteers say the cats (and several kittens) they have come into contact with so far have been very friendly and loving despite their circumstances. The cats spend time outside as well as indoors.

Hard-sided plastic cat carriers are also needed to move the cats to and from the Feral Cat Spay/Neuter Project since the project does not allow the use of cardboard carriers. Either temporary loan or permanent donation of the carriers would be appreciated.

CARES, which stands for Community Animal Resource & Education Society, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides animal care and control services for Burien. The organization’s mission is to encourage responsible pet ownership and enforce animal laws and ordinances in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of people and animals in Burien.

To adopt a cat or for more information, call 206-81-CARES or email buriencares@gmail.com.

The City of Burien announced Tuesday (June 14) that, beginning Wednesday, June 15th, the new non-profit group Community Animal Resource Education Society (‘CARES’) will begin providing animal care and control services for Burien.

CARES will be providing services two weeks earlier than originally planned – as we’ve previously reported, they weren’t due to officially assume duties until July 1, 2011.

The new CARES facility is technically located at 145 SW 153rd Street in Burien, which we thought would be next to the E.B. Foote Winery and Pyramids Club Hookah Bar. We dropped by around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and discovered we were wrong – we couldn’t actually find 145 SW 153rd – all we found was 143, an empty office that formerly housed a granite countertop business:

If you're looking for the new animal care facility at 145 SW 153rd, you won't find it on SW 153rd.

After wandering around empty storefronts looking confused, we called Debra George, who clarified that the entrance is in the back alley, in a facility that currently houses ‘Paws & Relax Doggy Day Care‘:

The address to Burien's new animal care facility may be '145 SW 153rd Street,' but you won't find it on SW 153rd – it's in a dead-end rear alley, sharing space with 'Paws & Relax Doggy Day Care.'

We spoke briefly with Steve, a worker at the day care. He didn’t seem to be aware that CARES would be opening its facility there Wednesday, so we gave him Debra George’s phone number. Steve showed us one of the rooms that will be rented out to CARES:

He also told us that no equipment had yet been moved in by the city, even though the new facility is scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 15th.

The services that CARES will provide include:

• Enforcement of Burien Municipal Code Title 6 Animals
• Dog Bites/Dangerous Dog Reports
• Impoundment of stray animals
• Educational information about pets and pet ownership
• Rescue of sick or injured animals
• Referral to other animal service agencies

Residents can also Submit an online request for services.

“CARES is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on an emergency response basis,” according to a press release. “Dispatch centers for both Burien Police and Burien/Normandy Park Fire will have an emergency number to call for response to life safety issues involving animals.”

As we’ve previously reported, CARES is a non-profit group consisting of four main principals, headed by Debra George, and the city will pay them $10,000 a month – a total of $360,000 through April 2014.

The new phone number is (206) 81-CARES or (206) 812-2737. The office hours are 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday –Saturday. For more information on animal control services in Burien go to www.burienwa.gov/animalcontrol.

We spoke with outgoing animal control director Dr. Leslie Kasper on Tuesday afternoon, who said that the five remaining animals have all found homes. Kasper also added that she’ll be “moving north” to a vet practice in Mountlake Terrace after taking “a much-needed vacation.”

“Please Help us find homes for these animals,” Dr. Kasper said. “The contract for the new CARES group does not require them to be responsible for taking over their care or adoptions! Please also note … the City has required BACC to no longer take in stray animals as of June 6th due to the shelter closing.”

The reduced fees for the current shelter are:

Dr. Leslie Kasper is looking for homes for pets at the current animal shelter, which closes June 15th.

• Dogs: $25 off (currently $75)
• Kittens: Adopt One, get the Second 1/2 Off (2 for $150)
• Adult Cats:$30 each or two for $50

We do not know for certain what will happen to any ‘leftover’ animals, so we encourage all our Readers to try and adopt or help find homes for these pets.

The BACC Adoption center is located at 13622 First Ave South in Burien, and most of their adoptable pets are listed on www.PetFinder.com/shelters/WA494.html.

As we’ve previously reported, a new group called ‘Community Animal Resource Education Society’ (CARES), headed by Debra George, will assume management duties beginning June 15. CARES will be paid $10,000 a month under its contract with the city – a total of $360,000 through April 2014.

The new management will take over responsibility for enforcing animal control laws, picking up stray, injured and dangerous animals, and sheltering and adopting unclaimed dogs and cats. In addition, it will provide for sheltering, adoption and community education.

The current shelter will close June 15th, and sheltering will be contracted out with P.J.’s Pet Ranch, not far from the Burien city limits in SeaTac, and with local veterinary clinics.

In April 2010, the Burien City Council opted not to participate in a new King County regional program and awarded the first local first animal control services contract to Dr. Leslie Kasper effective July 1.

The total costs allocated to Burien in 2011 under the Regional Animal Services model would have been about $300,000 a year, while giving the city the services of a single animal control officer for just eight hours a week. That would have been offset by an estimated $119,251 in pet licensing revenue.

“With the transition funding offered by King County, Burien’s net cost for 2011 would have been $128,767,” said Cameron Satterfield, Communications Director for King County. “Furthermore, all pet licensing fees from Burien residents would go directly to offset the cost of providing service to Burien, so if revenue exceeded projections, the net cost to the city would be even lower. In addition, while it is true that only one King County animal control officer would be on patrol in the sector that includes Burien, other officers and staff could be called in for backup when needed.”

In January, Kasper gave the city a six-month notice that she will no longer could provide these services.

I am a volunteer at the current Burien Animal Care and Control adoption center located at 13622 1st Ave. S. I volunteer there 4 days a week.

I learned last week that the new CARES group is not obligated nor contracted to take the animals currently at the shelter when they take over the contract.

They are not taking ANY existing animals!

This bothers me. I have been working very closely with Dr. Kasper trying to find homes, other shelters, and rescue groups to take the existing animals.

These animals did nothing wrong. They did not ask to be lost or simply dropped off as a stray. They come in very scared and unsure of whats going on. It’s very sad to see. These cats had loving families at one time and I am going to try and do all I can to see they find a forever home.

I guess I am simply asking you to please post this and let everyone that might be considering adopting a pet to come to the shelter before the CARES group takes over. All of the animals available for adoption are on petfinder.com.

Thank you for your time.

- Lisa Raught

[Have something you'd like to share with our Readers? Please send us your Letter to the Editor via email. Include your full name, and, pending our review, we'll most likely publish it.]

Burien dog and cat owners are being reminded by the City of Burien that pet licenses must be purchased or renewed before June 30th.

Pet licenses are required for all dogs and cats 6 months of age or older.

Here’s more info from the city’s most recent Newsletter:

Pet owners who currently have King County licenses are required to purchase a City of Burien pet license.

Owners who purchased City licenses after July 2010 when the City took over animal care and control from King County must have their City licenses renewed.

The cost is $20 a year for altered pets (documentation required) and $50 a year for unaltered pets.

Senior citizens can obtain lifetime licenses for $15 (if your pet has been altered).

You can license your pet online at license renewal or at City Hall, 400 SW 152nd St., third floor.

Past licensees can expect to receive a renewal reminder notice and form in the mail.