Sami has been volunteering with BHS since May of 2018. Since then she’s put in a lot of hours with our cats and kittens, enriching their lives and giving them love and care. Sami loves talking to the public and answering any questions they may have. When the adoptions office gets busy,  staff knows they can rely on her for help. Because of her amazing volunteer work, Sami was recently promoted to Cat Mentor so she can share her passion with others!

Do you have any animals of your own?

“I have a 6 year old cat of my own, Minnie, a super cuddly black kitty! She doesn’t live with me currently, but one of my roommates has two black cats as well. A 20 year old named Jag, and a kitten named Duchess that we adopted from BHS!”

What do you like to do in your free time?

“When I’m not in class, or working at ULTA, I use up most of my time volunteering for BHS and Vitalant(formerly Bloodsource). I’m a fourth year at Chico State, double majoring in Nursing and Child Development.”

What made you want to volunteer?

“I originally decided to volunteer at BHS to fulfill volunteer hours and get extra points for the nursing program at Chico. After I finished the required hours, I didn’t want to leave! I come in to see the kitties every time I have a few free hours.”

What do you like most about being a cat mentor?

“I love being the person other volunteers can go to for help. I’m always happy to suggest a cat who needs attention, or find other ways to help out in the catteries. All volunteers are welcome to contact me anytime with questions about working in cat adoptions!”

Thank you for all that you do, Sami. We’re so lucky to have you on the BHS team!

The Butte Humane Society Veterinary Clinic is providing continued relief for Camp Fire impacted pets! In addition to the fee-waived microchips and core vaccines we have been providing since November 2018, we will also be offering fee-waived veterinary exams, heartworm testing, feline viral testing, and spay/neuter vouchers through April 30th, 2019. We know the need for assistance isn’t over, and we want to help the best way we know how – by taking care of your furry family members! We are so appreciative of the support we have received from those both in and outside of Butte County whose donations have allowed us to continue offering these services. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the Camp Fire and is in need of veterinary services, please call us for an appointment today! 530.343.7917 x 202.

In November this past year, my family and I were heartbroken to see the devastation caused by the Camp Fire.  We watched the news reports daily and said many prayers for the people and animals who were losing so much.  I was heartsick seeing the reports of the animals who were burned, scared, and without homes.  I started following the different rescue organizations that were working tirelessly to save the animals from the Camp Fire.  That is when I came across the picture of sweet CC 200, now known as Butte.

Scrolling through the pictures of hundreds of cats rescued from the fire was overwhelming.  I did not know how I was going to choose just one cat.  When I saw Butte’s picture, I was shocked at how closely he resembled our cat that we lost this past March.  He looks like he could be her twin.  I instantly felt a connection with him.  I was hopeful that he would be reunited with his family, but I also hoped that he would become part of our family.  After checking on him through the Butte County Camp Fire Rescued Animals site for several weeks, I emailed Butte Humane Society to inquire about adopting Butte.  On January 2, 2019 my application for Butte was accepted.  We were informed that if he was not claimed by January 18, 2019 then we could come meet him and move forward with the adoption.  On January 23, 2019 my husband and I made the hour and half drive from Woodland, CA to Butte Humane Society to meet our newest family member, Butte. We instantly fell in love.

Butte has been with us for about a week now and his transition home has been so easy.  When we brought him home, the first thing he did was roll around on the carpet, purring the loudest purr I have ever heard from such a small kitty!  Our sons, ages 10 and 5, adore Butte.  Our 5-year-old asks every night if “Boot” can sleep in his bed.  Butte lets our kids carry him around and he loves to lay in their laps while they watch TV.  We have another kitty Butte’s age, named Max, and they have started chasing each other around the house.  While Max is almost twice Butte’s size, Butte is the one who does the chasing and is quick to steal Max’s toys right out from under his nose.  Butte also loves our dog and showed no fear at all when he met her.  They sleep together on our bed and Butte likes to clean the dog’s ears.  Butte is incredibly affectionate and loves to be cuddled.  We are so lucky to have found him!  Thank you to Butte Humane Society for helping us bring Butte home. We love our tiny cat so much. He is a great addition to our family.

“I started volunteering at the Pet Food and Supply pantry because as part of the rugby team, we made a decision as a team to help during this natural disaster. I continued to volunteer after my shifts because I saw the need, and because I have the time and I can. I have enjoyed the work that I am doing and the people that I am working with. I have worked almost every day since the Pantry opened up on Longfellow, and work about 8-9 hours a day. As a team lead, I help oversee the different departments of the pantry. As a Chico resident, I too have had family and close friends who have lost it all to the Camp Fire. The joy of helping others and giving back to the community is what I have enjoyed most about this job.”

John Fox aka “Fox” started helping at the Pet Food and Supply Pantry shortly after it opened. He very quickly proved himself to be a hard working volunteer by always lending a hand and stepping  up for the hard jobs. Not long after he started volunteering he was assigned a lead role in the Pantry overseeing donation deliveries, which came sometimes 3 truck fulls a day, and responsibility for managing a small team. He put in long days and was a crucial factor in the pantry’s success. We truly could not have managed all of the donations without his help. Fox continues to volunteer on average 9 hours a day every day the pantry is open and has moved into a management role. One fun fact about Fox is that he’s a zoologist!