A half century on: PAWS of Grays Harbor celebrates 50 years

June 29th will mark the 50th anniversary of PAWS of Grays Harbor’s incorporation as a nonprofit.

“Even though we are celebrating 50 years since 1973, that’s when we became a nonprofit,” said Executive Director Anna Boeche. “The crew who got it started were doing things for years before.”

From a meeting with no more than a dozen folks who were interested in helping animals to an established shelter with plans to expand, PAWS has evolved and grown over the years. Residents like Betty Vandenberg, Val West and Helen Roman helped make the shelter what it is today.

PAWS of Grays Harbor is celebrating its 50th anniversary since its incorporation as a nonprofit. (Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World)

“Our roots are in rescue,” Boeche said. “They were not just involved with cats and dogs. They were doing all kinds of things to improve the lives of animals in the Harbor.”

The first days of the organization came in 1971, said Pat Englund, one of the founding members, still living in Hoquiam.

“It’s more than 50 years,” England said. “Betty Vandenberg put an ad in the paper and I didn’t know her.”

The ad was for people interested in helping out animals. In the early days, members hosted the animals in their own homes, with no shelter building. Englund recalled the early days as an all-volunteer organization, hosting adoption Wednesdays wherever other businesses or organizations would loan them space, helping everything from cats and dogs to oil-covered ducks to malnourished horses.

“They were starving,” Englund said. “Because of the Humptulips horses, I started writing letters to the Legislature to get an animal welfare law passed. We got an animal welfare law passed faster than any other law passed in the Washington Legislature.”

In a scrapbook on her kitchen table, Englund flipped through a collection of age-yellowed The Daily World articles about the first decade or so of the shelter.

Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World Various clippings of Daily World articles from the ’70s by Pat Englund tell the story of the early days of PAWS of Grays Harbor, which she helped to start.

“Who thought we’d go 50-something years and we should keep track of all of that information?” Englund said. “I’m glad I kept this scrapbook. If I hadn’t kept this, we wouldn’t have known a lot of stuff that happened.”

Briefs about meetings scheduled for that week. Dogs and kittens in Christmas stockings. A photo of a gaunt German shepherd rescued from a house after being locked in and abandoned.

“Why would people put a dog and puppies in a room with no food and no water and leave? How could they do it?” Englund asked.

The organization hovered around 10 volunteers for those first few years, Englund said. She said she’d do at least something to help the shelter each day, on top of her regular job.

“I did whatever they needed me to do,” Englund said. “So did everybody else.”

The shelter bought the property it currently owns on 1st Street with a donation of $100,000, Englund said. She hopes the shelter continues to do well and grow.

“I’m happy there’s a PAWS here,” Englund said. “I think they’re doing OK the way they’re doing now.”

Modern shelters for modern pets

Today’s PAWS of Grays Harbor is a far cry from dedicated volunteers hosting animals in their own home and displaying them in donated space with homemade crates and cages.

“We’ve had most of our history really in rescue. It was only recently that we became a shelter. They used to go to various buildings around town, where people would host them,” Boeche said. “They really utilized fosters. It’s remarkable how many animals they were trying to get out for adoption.”

The incorporation of a shelter into the organization changed the nature of much of the day-to-day work, Boeche said.

“There’s pluses and minuses to either,” Boeche said. “Shelters are not always an easy place for animals to live. It’s great to have foster resources for animals who would not do well in a shelter environment.”

Part of the plus points of having a core of workers and longtime volunteers is being able to match the right animal with the right adopter, Boeche said.

“The nice thing about an organization this size is we know our animals pretty darn well,” Boeche said. “We think of ourselves as matchmakers, to find the right fit for the people coming.”

Irene Carlson is one of those. A 14-year volunteer, she worked with Val West, one of the organization’s important names. Carlson helps out with cat care.

Inge Johnson, PAWS of Grays Harbor staff member, plays with Max, a very good boy currently staying at the shelter. (Michael S. Lockett / The Daily World)

“She had been here forever. When I first started, it was just Val and me. The two of us would clean the whole building,” Carlson said. “It’s nice to come down and be around ‘em and pet them and talk to them.”

Taking care of the cats and making sure they’re given affection is important, Carlson said.

“I say, I’m going in here to take care of my kids,” Carlson said. “Coming in to see the cats — to pet them and hold them. The one upstairs in the old office — I said, ‘if I didn’t have a kitty already, I’d take you home.’”

For Inge Johnson, a longtime member of the staff who works with both the cats and the dogs, even though the job can be emotional, it’s worth it.

“I love it. Even though you get every single emotion possible run through you, I just keep going,” Johnson said. “(People) seem surprised a lot that it’s not all just fun and games and playing with the animals.”

Bonding with an animal is her favorite moment, Johnson said.

“Probably the moment they trust you,” Johnson said. “I can’t think of a better feeling than when you finally get that trust with one of the kids. And when you hear a squeaky toy being played with.”

Boeche said that it’s always good to see animals that have found homes come back for a visit.

“We hear a lot that ‘I couldn’t do this job because it’s too emotional.’ You’re also present for the joyful stuff,” Boeche said. “One of our favorite things is when we get alumni for a visit. We’re overjoyed to see it.”

As the shelter looks back at 50 years of service, Boeche said they’re trying to reclaim a little of their past, such as photos of dogs and cats PAWS has helped to find homes.

“We have a history display. If they have some history they’d like to return to us, we’d love to have it,” Boeche said. “We don’t have a whole lot. Any pieces of PAWS history, we’d love to see.”

Every bit of history has its lessons, Boeche said.

“I think wherever you have a history as an organization you have the opportunity to learn from things you’ve done in the past to inform decisions in the future,” Boeche said.

Contact Senior Reporter Michael S. Lockett at 757-621-1197 or mlockett@thedailyworld.com.