WAIF goes beyond operating an animal shelter; we make every attempt to serve the community and the animals in our care through our special programs.

Community Outreach

WAIF serves people in their relationships with their pets through —

	Prevent-A-Litter Program — WAIF provides coupons for reduced-cost spaying and neutering to pet owners needing financial assistance.
	Feral cat spaying/neutering — Feral cats are altered and re-released in their habitat to help control the feral cat population on Whidbey Island.
	Crisis care — WAIF provides financial assistance to low income pet owners who can't afford medical care for their pets. This is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Education

WAIF educates the community about respectful, compassionate, and responsible care of animals by —

	Making presentations to school groups and clubs
	Providing educational brochures and pamphlets on topics of responsible animal care
	Publishing the WAIFarer, our newsletter that is distributed three times a year.
	Staffing booths at special local events

Animal Programs

WAIF serves the animals in our care through —

	Special Needs Program — This program is for animals that are difficult to adopt due to medical conditions, age or other factors. WAIF designates certain animals as "Specials Needs" as warranted. Special Needs animals are featured in local newspapers as "Pet of the Week"; they appear on flyers posted on the island; they might qualify for obedience training to overcome behavioral problems or an increased medical allowance to correct health related problems.
	Spay/neuter facility — WAIF believes strongly in spaying and neutering, and to stand behind that commitment, a spay/neuter facility was added to the shelter in 1997. Although WAIF is unable to spay and neuter animals for the public, all WAIF animals are altered prior to adoption.
	Foster care — A foster care program is in place for feral and orphaned kittens and cats and Special Needs dogs.
	Veterinary care — Regular veterinary care is given to the shelter animals.
	Off-site adoption trips — Animals are brought to places like the Lynnwood PetSmart store to help find them good homes.
	A strong Web presence — Our Web site is updated weekly with listings of our available animals. Many adoptions have taken place as a result of this Web site and our listings on the PetFinder Web site.
	Volunteer program — WAIF has a strong volunteer program, which provides extra care and attention to shelter animals while they are awaiting adoption.

WAIF
P.O. Box 1108
Coupeville, WA 98239-1108

Please email any questions or comments about WAIF or the animals to shelter@waifanimals.org.