By Heidi Dahms Foster
The Prescott area’s haven for all kinds of animals has reached a half century milestone. Yavapai Humane Society, known for its no kill ethic and its many programs to assist pets and pet lovers, celebrates 50 years this year.
YHS has had a long and colorful history, and it exists today because people fought with passion to make a difference. “No one thinks about the organization’s history, but with the 50th anniversary, it forced all of us to dig into our background,” said Director Rich McClish, who has served as a prior board member and in his current position at the helm of YHS for nearly four years.
“This organization is only here because of the heart of the founders. They struggled financially and philosophically, because there was not the support in the community for this type of concept here.”
Historic accounts are a bit hit and miss, but YHS volunteers have collected significant information from Prescott Courier newspaper archives that give some insight into its evolution.
The first mention of animal welfare in Prescott was in 1906, when Mayor Morris Goldwater and the City Council first enacted a dog license tax. Later, in 1935, the Courier reported a groundswell of support for a humane society to stop “numerous acts of cruelty to animals” in the city. With no alternative, people dumped unwanted kittens and puppies to die or starve.
The effort became more critical when that same year, a national officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was visiting and saw someone drive by and dump a litter of kittens on the road. That and other accounts upset the officer to the point that she threatened to “blast Prescott as the most inhumane city she ever visited” in ASPCA’s national publication. A half century later, the opposite is true, with Yavapai County growing into an increasingly pet friendly environment, much to the credit of YHS.
People continued to work behind the scenes for the area’s animals until Yavapai Humane Society completed its articles of incorporation on March 20, 1972, its official beginning. Then, YHS began the monumental task of raising enough money to build a shelter. By June 1973, the treasurer reported that after months of effort, just $1,500 had been raised.
Local broadcaster, animal lover and YHS president Lou Silverstein reported to the Courier that perhaps the city wasn’t ready for a shelter, but he pledged to chip away until the money was there. “It may take years,” he said, “but it will pay off.”
“If it wasn’t for Lou Silverstein and his tenacity, Yavapai Humane Society wouldn’t have been here,” said McClish.
Another local animal advocate, Jean Samz, wrote to the Courier often, lamenting the lack of a public shelter in the city. At that time, Prescott was using the back of the old Prescott Animal Hospital as a pound, and Samz was concerned that pet owners would not be able to find their animals in the three days allotted by the city.
By June 1975, YHS had raised $24,000 and had a $50,000 promise from a state organization. By this time, Prescott had passed a resolution of intent to donate land near the city landfill to YHS when it was ready to build.
In 1976, the tireless Samz again wrote to the Courier, explaining the dire need for a shelter. By then, YHS had raised $46,000 toward its goal. Two months later, the Courier announced that YHS had met its $50,000 goal after longtime Prescott Animal Hospital veterinarians Charles Dockter and Jim Savoini each pledged $500 to finish the fundraiser.
The Dubois Foundation of Scottsdale, the Courier reported, had pledged to match the $50,000 raised by YHS. City money was used to construct the shelter, after which YHS purchased it from Prescott. The city deeded the land to YHS for $1. The original shelter plans included a temporary modular office, a nine-car parking lot and the kennel, which would accommodate 72 dogs and 25 cats. Plans were included for a later clinic.
When the City had to end its contract with Prescott Animal Hospital for shelter services because the hospital on Iron Springs Road was to be removed and turned into a parking lot, the Yavapai County Fair Board provided temporary shelter services until the YHS shelter was constructed. The City and YHS worked hard for the last two weeks of August 1976, soliciting donations of lumber, roofing materials, cinder blocks, electrical and other equipment to help supplement the $100,000 now on hand to build the shelter. YHS contracted to provide shelter services to the city after the shelter was built.
In Summer 1983, Prescott decided to build and maintain an animal control facility next to the YHS shelter and contracted with the County and Prescott Valley for sheltering services.
Ten years later, YHS was struggling to keep its doors open. Entirely supported by donations and fundraisers, it still had a live release rate of just 24 percent. Then, in 1997, a Prescott woman bequeathed her home to YHS. It was YHS’ 25th anniversary and the gift was timely to do some needed remodeling at the shelter. This would be the first of many such gifts that today support the shelter and its myriad programs to enrich the lives of pets.
Today, YHS encompasses the main campus on Sundog Ranch Road which houses its Lost & Found building and Adoptions Center; a thrift store at 1601 Iron Springs Road in Prescott, the Equine Center in Chino Valley, and the currently (temporarily) closed Spay/ Neuter Clinic off Highway 89A. It has reached its goal of a no kill ethic and a facility that supports both pets and pet lovers, but the philosophy by which they do business is costly.
“The no kill ethic in animal welfare has really taken hold in the past 10-15 years. We are an open shelter,” McClish said. “We don’t pick and choose; we take all the animals. It’s a constant struggle, because at one time we might have 100 pit bulls in system that no one wants or loves. They are sweethearts and we keep looking for a place for them. However, they’ll sit a bit longer, and that escalates the associated costs.”
McClish said people might not think their $20 or $25 a month makes a difference, but every donated dollar counts.
In 2003, YHS broke ground for a three-phased program to create an exercise and training area for animals, and to enlarge and remodel the existing shelter for an Animal Wellness Center. The Buffy Pence Bark Park, provided by a donation from local philanthropists, provides space for animals to exercise, socialize and where families can visit with dogs they are considering adopting. It also serves as a training and behavior counseling area.
McClish abides by a three-pronged philosophy as he directs YHS – the shelter, he said, must take care of the animals, the people who love them, and the staff. That’s why so many YHS programs support pets and pet lovers alike.
YHS maintains a pantry for pet owners who need food and supplies for their animals. A spay/neuter clinic offers basic vet care and low cost altering and vaccinations for animals. The clinic is currently closed after the Pandemic for lack of a veterinarian and staff, an all-too-common problem for many businesses in the post-Covid world. But YHS is looking forward to the day it can be opened again, said YHS Marketing Manager Loree Walden.
Current programs include a foster program for puppies, kittens and older pets that need a bit of socialization and training to help them be more adoptable. The program is currently supported by 25-35 active fosters who are always ready to take in a pet in need.
YHS also offers behavior classes for the public or at a discount for dogs adopted from the shelter. Classes are $35 per class or $180 for the entire six weeks for dogs adopted from YHS, and $60 per class or $300 for the entire six weeks if the dog was not adopted from YHS.
Another wildly successful YHS addition has been the YHS Equine Center in Chino Valley. YHS Deputy Director Christine Campbell not only has had her hands full with horses in need of saving, but other livestock has found a haven there as well. Potbellied pigs, rabbits, goats, ducks, peacocks, and even tortoises call the Center home until they find a permanent placement.
For cat lovers, YHS houses its adoptable felines at its Adoption Center and at the PetSmart Satellite Adoption Center.
One of the most heartwarming programs that YHS provides is its Pet Guardianship Program. Recognizing that companion animals are a vital part of families, YHS established the Pet Guardianship program to give owners of all walks of life peace of mind in the event of illness or death, when many times, remaining family does not know what to do with a family member’s pets.
Members leave detailed instructions both with YHS and in their wills that their pets will be bequeathed to Yavapai Humane Society. YHS then provides for the pet’s unique needs, including medical care, and will find the animal a loving home. The only request is that while members are in the program, they maintain an annual donation of any amount to YHS and include YHS in their will.
Other current YHS programs include Animal Enrichment, which helps to ease the stress of shelter life for the animals, staff, volunteers, and the public, helping to make pets more adoptable. Special Treatment and Recovery provides money to help with critical medical needs. The STAR Fund helps with a homeless animal’s medicines, x-rays, blood work and surgeries that the YHS budget would not otherwise support. The New Hope program is YHS’s commitment to partner with other area animal organizations to meet the needs of animals with special or long-term needs and help them to find homes. Donations are welcome to any of these programs.
Creative programs and fundraisers such as an annual Gala, Walk for Animals, the Thrift Store, estate planning, one time or monthly gifts, memorial donations to remember a special person or pet, sponsorships, and a new online Pet Prescription Store with all profits going directly to YHS help are just some of the ways the public can support YHS with small or large gifts. Many ways to donate are listed on the YHS website.
YHS also partners each year with Prescott Dog Magazine’s Woofstock adoption event in Prescott Valley and Dogtoberfest in Prescott, getting the word out about the organization and bringing adoptable dogs for exposure. Prescott Dog also provides space for information and photos on adoptable pets.
Finally, McClish is passionate about investing in YHS staff. He supports all the training and professional development he can provide. “We can’t expect staff to take care of the animals when they can barely get by as individuals,” he said. “If we are passionate about what we do, we need to have options and opportunities to enhance professionalism.”
For more information on the Yavapai Humane Society, to get involved in helping area pets, or to view available dogs, cats, horses, or other pets, check out their website at www.yavapaihumane.org/ or call 928-445-2666.
