Humane Societies of Oregon’s Linn and Benton Counties

Heartland Humane Society
Image: heartlandhumane.org

 

 

Cody Gotchall, currently studying at Oregon’s Linn-Benton Community College, has already established a considerable history of volunteer activity throughout the city of Corvallis, Oregon. In addition to his current work at United First Methodist Church, Cody Gotchall has previously helped to provide food for those in need at St. Mary’s Stone Soup kitchen, worked with children exploring robotics through the FIRST LEGO League, and provided care for animals at both the Safe Haven Humane Society and the Heartland Humane Society.

The Safe Haven Humane Society (www.safehavenhumane.org) is a privately funded “no-kill” shelter in Linn County, Oregon, and committed never to euthanize any animal regardless of the length of its stay. In addition to veterinarian and adoption services, Safe Haven offers support to help new pet owners acclimate themselves to their animal companions, limiting the likelihood of the new owners finding cause to surrender the animal in the future. A few of Safe Haven’s special services include the Friends for Life program, which ensures continued care for a pet should it outlive its owner, and the Pet Therapy and Seniors for Seniors programs, which bring the physical and emotional health benefits of animal companionship to senior adults on either a temporary or permanent basis.

Heartland Humane Society (www.heartlandhumane.org) is an “open admission” shelter of neighboring Benton County, and never refuses an animal brought to it from within the county, regardless of health or other adoptability factors. While this necessitates sometimes euthanizing an animal when space becomes too limited, Heartland is proud to maintain adoption rates of over 90 percent for dogs and nearly 80 percent for cats, far exceeding the national average of under 30 percent. Heartland also works with rescue and veterinarian groups and pet foster homes to ensure that euthanasia is absolutely a last resort. Programs offered by Heartland include the Emergency and Safe Housing Program to shelter animals brought out of homes experiencing domestic abuse, and the Pet Food Pantry to provide free pet food and cat litter for families experiencing financial difficulty.

American Red Cross Blood Donation Processes

 

Blood Donation Processes
Image: redcrossblood.org

Cody Gotchall enjoys contributing to, and volunteering with, a number of philanthropic and community organizations. For more than four years Cody Gotchall has donated blood to the American Red Cross.

Individuals interested in donating blood to the American Red Cross must first meet a number of eligibility requirements. However, these eligibility requirements, including age, weight, and donation frequency, are just the first series of tests done to ensure the quality of donated blood.

Following eligibility and donor registration, individuals are questioned about their health history and undergo a brief physical examination by a medical professional. American Red Cross representatives typically collect about one pint of blood per donor. These bags are carefully labeled and stored prior to being sent to processing.

Blood samples are recorded in a digital database prior to being separated into transfusable components, such as red cells, platelets, and plasma. Some components, such as plasma, are even further processed. Finally, all components are tested for viability at one of three Red Cross National Testing Laboratories. Each vial is analyzed for blood type and quality through 12 distinct tests.

The Importance of Spay and Neuter Procedures for Pets

SafeHaven Humane Society
Image: safehavenhumane.org/

 

 

Cody Gotchall is currently a business student who particularly enjoys the numbers and analytical aspects of his studies. In addition to his academic work, Cody Gotchall spends time volunteering with charitable organizations, having previously worked with the SafeHaven Humane Society.

Each year, animal shelters and pet rescues take in more than 7.5 million homeless animals, including 3.4 million cats and almost 4 million dogs. About 2.7 million of these animals are euthanized annually due to limited resources and lack of space. The single most effective way for pet owners to help reduce these numbers is to spay or neuter their pets. In addition to maintaining a healthy pet population, spaying and neutering offers health benefits to animals who have undergone the procedure.

Spayed or neutered pets live longer, healthier lives compared to other pets. Uterine infections and breast tumors – fatal in 50 percent of canines and 90 percent of felines – are far less likely if the animal has been spayed or neutered at an early age, particularly if before the first heat. Male animals can no longer develop testicular cancer and are less likely to have prostate issues, while females can avoid pregnancy complications.