Marty began volunteering with Butte Humane Society in February of 2011, and in that time she has become a staple volunteer at Cat Adoptions and volunteering in our Warehouse. She has also been a great help during our special events. There is not a volunteer area in BHS that she has not touched in some way. During her time with us, she has dedicated well over 1,700 hours.

In Marty’s own words, she first began volunteering with BHS because, “I’ve enjoyed animals all my life and even considered being a veterinarian when I was a kid, although teaching won out as a career.  I had wanted to volunteer at BHS for a long time, but training was always offered on Saturdays, and I was usually playing music somewhere. At last, in February 2011, there was training I could attend, and I did. I have enjoyed all my time at BHS, and I also volunteer with NVADG during local disasters, such as the Camp Fire.”

When we need a volunteer, Marty is always ready to jump in wherever she is needed. Her favorite area to volunteer in is Cat Adoptions, but she also enjoys our special events for dogs. Marty is able to socialize our shiest cats and help bring them out of their shells.

When asked what her most impactful moment has been volunteering with BHS, Marty said, “That would probably be the time I have spent working with our cats, in all areas of the shelter, although it was two dog experiences that came to mind first!  A few years ago, when we did our initial tandem walks and social play in the yard, that was a special day.  The dogs had such a wonderful time, all the planning and effort were totally worth it.  The second was working with Hector, a little Chihuahua who, for some reason, was with us for quite a while.  He was very smart and loved learning new things, quickly mastered the basics and started on the utility course. His adoptive parents got a very special pup.”

Without volunteers like Marty Sampson, BHS would not be able to operate in the way we do. She has helped us grow throughout the years, and will always be a cherished part of our organization.

Amber started volunteering with Butte Humane Society in March of 2021 as our new Cat Photographer.

Since that time, she’s helped find numerous cats their furever homes with her beautiful cat photos. She is also heavily involved in our event photography.

Check out the answers to her interview below!

 

What made you want to start volunteering?

I started volunteering in March 2021 in when my friend (and long-time BHS adopter!) tagged me in BHS’s post looking for a photographer to do the cats’ adoption photos. I reached out to Kelly on and started taking photos the next week! Since then I have also started taking a few dogs’ adoption photos, was the event photographer for the 2021 Gala, and have also gotten to do some clinic photos for the website!

 

What has been your most impactful moment volunteering here?

When it was coming up on my 1-year volunteer-iversary, I knew I wanted to make a collage of all the cats I had taken photos for. It wasn’t until I started piecing that together when I realized just how MANY cats I had gotten to spend a few special moments with! Volunteering my photography skills has allowed me to help find homes for these 161 sweet whiskered faces and make a difference in their lives.

 

What is your favorite part about volunteering?

My favorite part about volunteering is getting to spend a few special moments with each cat and capturing their true purr-sonality to show a potential adopter! One of my favorite things is when I get a really sweet photo out of a scared or “spicy” cat. Also all of Clementine’s grumpy faces!!

 

What has surprised you most about working with shelter animals?

One of the most surprising things I have discovered since working with shelter animals is how quickly they can relax with just a few minutes of love. My cat used to be feral, so I know it can be a long process and a lot of work to get them calm and comfortable with you. Some days when I come in to do photos, I get warned that certain cats may be super skittish, scared, or “spicy”, so I may not get a good photo. Most times, I can calm the cat down with a few quiet minutes of pets, chin scratches, or hugs.

 

What do you like to do for fun? 

My biggest passion is photography! I have had my photography business (amberthompsonphoto.com) since 2014 and recently converted an industrial warehouse into a studio. Outside of photography, my biggest passions are ballet and all things Disney! I dance at Uptown Dance Arts in Chico, and do all our studio photography and web design. I also own a children’s entertainment company called Once Upon A Wish (onceuponawishevents.com), which brings princesses, super heroes, and other beloved characters to children’s birthday parties and community events.

 

Do you have any animals of your own?

I have 2 cats: a senior named Simon and a BHS adoption named Nova. Simon was feral and would come once a day for food for at least 8 years before I was able to get him inside, and now he’s a super spoiled cuddle bug! Nova’s favorite things are her toy Jon Slow the sloth, people watching through the window, and pestering Simon.

 

Clara first started volunteering with BHS in February of 2022. Since that time, Clara has been involved in many areas of volunteering, most notably with our dogs. Staff loves working with her. She has a fantastic attitude and has proven to be a fast and eager learner. 

Why did you get involved with volunteering at BHS? 

I started volunteering at BHS during COVID to help displaced animals or those who lost an owner make connections and not feel alone. 

What’s your favorite area to volunteer in?

I mainly work with dogs and love to see them light up when they get to have some interaction. My goal was to make a big difference to them, but honestly, the dogs have really helped me. I like to joke that my volunteer shifts are really my therapy!  

What is your favorite part about volunteering?

My favorite part of volunteering is seeing the joy that even a few minutes of time with an animal can bring to them. The BHS community has also been so welcoming and fun to be a part of. I have dedicated a lot of my time to volunteering at BHS events specifically, like Woofstock!! It was so fun to see how many people turned out for the event throughout the day. I hope that I can encourage more people to volunteer or foster because it is one of the most meaningful things in my life. The only downside is the looks I get from my own pets when I come home smelling like other fur babies! Shoutout to my best boy, Bupps!

 

Megan started volunteering with BHS 10 years ago as a Chico State student through Animal Connections with CAVE. Since that time, Megan has become a core volunteer with BHS, volunteering not only with the animals, but also with our Pet Food Pantry during the devastating wildfires, and with our Outreach and large-scale events. Most recently, she has joined our Event Planning Committee and has taken on a larger role in the planning of our events and securing much-needed Sponsors.

Why did you get involved with volunteering at BHS? 

I was new to Chico and attending Chico State, and I wanted to find some ways to get involved with the community, as well as meet new people and get to spend time around animals since I couldn’t have any pets in university housing!

What is your favorite part about volunteering? 

Just knowing that I am part of the success of an organization that helps so many animals in our community.

What made you want to start volunteering? 

Initially, I wanted to start volunteering because I just loved spending time with the animals! And wanted to become more connected to the community as I was new to Chico.

What do you like to do for fun? 

I love being outside – hiking, and hunting, and recently discovered that I like golfing!  I also enjoy spending time with friends and family, playing games, cooking and eating great food, and traveling.

Do you have any animals of your own? 

Yes, I have a black lab named Skye, a terrier mix named Piper, and a calico cat named Mia.

What has surprised you most about working with shelter animals? 

How resilient the animals are! Some of them have been through so much, especially with the last few years of fires we’ve had, and they’re still so joyful and loving.