June 28, 2021 – Meet one of our Pet Support Counselors, Mary Storey! Mary has been working at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County for over a year. Starting as a kitten foster volunteer, Mary further pursued her passion for animal welfare and joined the team. Her time here has been spent not only helping animals but also their owners.
Q. What does a day in your life at the shelter look like?
A. I start my day by assisting pet owners, doing consultations with pet owners looking to surrender their pet, and various other pet support projects. On Saturdays, we run a low-cost spay/neuter clinic to help our community so that entails working with volunteers, pets, and pet owners to help organize a successful day!
Q. What’s your favorite part of working here?
A. I love the activity level of working at a shelter, being able to handle animals daily, and the connections I’ve made with my coworkers.
Q. Why are you so passionate about the work we do?
I am passionate about our mission because we are all the voice for animals who are unable to speak for themselves. These animals rely on us for basic needs and enrichment. We’re saving lives daily – no matter the role we have.
Q: Any special stories you’d like to share?
I’ve fostered two kitties from the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County and eventually adopted both of them. Tigress – a beautiful under social queen who hid in my closet for four months when we fostered/adopted her. Slowly and carefully she started coming out of her shell and even solicited attention after six months in our home!
Hiccup – a sweet kitten from a litter we fostered. He was a medical mess being the runt of the litter with two upper respiratory infection treatments, abscess repair, a skin condition on his chin, litter box training issues, and ongoing gastrointestinal problems. Both of these kitties have taught me valuable lessons in animal care and I couldn’t be more thankful!
Being a Pet Support Counselor has allowed me to make valuable connections with our community. I’ve been able to help pet owners keep their animals by just being a resource and listening to their struggles or offering them food from the pantry that they didn’t know about prior. More than anything, I’ve been able to change my narrative on how I look at animal welfare in the community – to help pets, we must first help their owners.
Interested in a career with the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County? Check out job opportunities here. Want to volunteer or foster? Learn more here!
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