Woods Humane Society gets $100,000 boost from SLO couple

A San Luis Obispo couple has donated $100,000 to Woods Humane Society to help the shelter’s animals in the coming year.

San Luis Obispo couple Michael and Sammy Pineau made the donation, the shelter said in a news release Thursday. The Pineaus gave the money in honor of their Labrador Jake, who died in November.

“We are so touched by the Pineaus’ generosity and how they have chosen to honor Jake’s memory by helping hundreds of animals find loving homes through Woods Humane Society,” executive director Jill Tucker said in a news release.

The donation will go where the need is greatest, according to Steve Kragenbrink, director of marketing and communications at the shelter. For now, that means mostly toward offsetting adoption fees.

“Every single animal that comes through the shelter costs us $500 to prepare for adoption,” which includes veterinary care, boarding, and spaying and neutering, Kragenbrink said. The shelter runs promotions throughout the year, discounting or waiving adoption fees.

“When we’re dropping those adoption fees, we’re in the red,” Kragenbrink said. In 2016, the shelter saw about 5,500 animals come through, he said. After Woods merges with the North County Humane Society in the beginning of the year, the shelter expects to serve more than 6,000 animals in 2017, according to a news release.

Woods, which is a private organization, usually operates on an annual budget of about $2.2 million, Kragenbrink said. He added that number may change after the merger.

Gabby Ferreira: 805-781-7858, @Its_GabbyF

This story was originally published December 29, 2016 at 12:54 PM with the headline "Woods Humane Society gets $100,000 boost from SLO couple."