Animal Tales is one way we share happy stories from the Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter, the hard work our Animal Services officers do in the field, and information for pet owners in the community.
Join our Mailing List! You'll get Animal Tales delivered directly to your inbox each month!
Enjoy the most recent issue of our Animal Tales newsletter, as well as past editions, below.
Animal Tales, February 2026
In this edition of Animal Tales, take a peek behind the scenes to learn more about how our team of animal shelter technicians at the Bonnie Hays Animal Shelter helps not only the pets of Washington County, but also the people in our community!
Animal Tales, January 2026
Find emergency preparedness ideas for people with pets, information about our upcoming Animal Services Academy, a few reminders in honor of National Walk Your Dog Month, and more in this month's Animal Tales!
Animal Tales, December 2025
In this edition of Animal Tales you’ll read about Tom's tricky situation, get holiday safety tips, learn how you can help local pets through PVMA’s Annual Winter Pet Food and Supplies Drive and more.
Animal Tales, November 2025
Read about our response to a serious neglect situation involving 30 cats and two birds, meet our new shelter veterinarian, find out why we’re so grateful for our amazing volunteers and more!
Animal Tales, October 2025
Animal Tales has gone digital! Dig into the first issue of our now monthly e-newsletter for sweet pics, Halloween pet safety tips, Animal Services Academy registration information, event updates and more.
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2025 (PDF 6.02 MB)
In this issue of Animal Tales, we invite you to take a deeper dive into animal safety, both at the shelter and in the community. You’ll find articles about preventing dog bites, helping your own pets stay safe this spring and summer, the benefits of keeping cats indoors, how Animal Services Officers keep the community safe, and more. This is also the final print version of Animal Tales. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to our email list above to receive future digital editions of Animal Tales in your inbox.
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2024 (PDF 1.66 MB)
In this edition of Animal Tales, our focus is on the people who help us care for pets in Washington County. Read about how staff go the extra mile to provide comfort to shelter pets, the teamwork it takes to get justice for abused and neglected animals, and our participation in a successful weekend-long adoption event. You’ll also find articles highlighting our award-winning shelter supervisor, introducing our new volunteer coordinator, spotlighting a dedicated volunteer, and remembering the late Debbie Wood.
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2024 (PDF 764.4 KB)
We hope that as you read this edition of Animal Tales you’ll see the high level of dedication and care each member of our team brings to their work at Animal Services. Read about the various ways our staff pursue new skills and continued education, our commitment to communicating with kindness and respect, how hard our team works to get lost pets back home, and more!
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2023 (PDF 3.75 MB)
In this issue of Animal Tales, we focus on the many reasons we are grateful for the individuals and organizations that help us care for the people and pets of Washington County. We’ve got stories about young donors finding creative ways to help animals, tributes to our transfer partners, and more! You’ll also find articles about our recent awards, how we use teamwork to care for stray pets with medical needs, and our commitment to sharing our animal welfare expertise with others.
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2023 (PDF 10.23 MB)
We’re pulling back the curtain and giving you a glimpse behind the scenes in this issue of Animal Tales! Read about how we keep pets and people safe at our facility, the many ways our staff work together to get lost animals back home, and how our officers protect and care for the community outside our shelter walls. Curious about shelter medicine? Don’t miss the article spotlighting on our certified veterinary technician! We also highlight the benefits of keeping your cat indoors and things you can do now to increase the chances of a reunion if you and your beloved pet are ever separated.
Animal Tales, Fall/Winter 2022 (PDF 813.29 KB)
In this issue of Animal Tales, read about our efforts to get lost pets back home quickly, a creative collaboration to keep a dog named Liberty safe, the work we do to ensure animals are included in Washington County’s emergency planning, and more!
Animal Tales, Spring/Summer 2022 (PDF 464.67 KB)
In this edition of Animal Tales we invite you to take a deep dive into the more serious side of our operations. Read about what it’s like to discover and investigate animal neglect, and the work our entire team pours into these distressing situations in order to ensure the best possible outcome for the animals involved. Plus, we highlight the story of a kitten who found his little body stuck in a big dumpster, give you a snapshot of the diverse work our Animal Services officers do in the field, outline what to expect if you ever need to call us for help, and more!
