By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – There’s a new animal rescue organization in Clallam County with a few dedicated volunteers taking in dogs and cats in need of medical treatment or behavioral support and finding new homes for them.
Huckleberry House Rescue, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, is also caring for animals with hospice needs that will be given permanent sanctuary and end-of-life care.
Because it’s just getting started, Huckleberry House is not yet an actual location so much as an extension of Huckleberry Housecalls Veterinary Services, a business started by Dr. Suzy Zustiak, along with veterinary technician Bob Parr, and veterinary assistant Angel O’Neil.
The three are joined by Justine Parr and Mary Beth Wegener, bringing more than 80 years of combined veterinary and animal welfare experience.
Wegener told us the team had been talking about the project for years, until a dog named Moonboots finally tipped the scales.
“Suzy actually is currently fostering a dog that she just kind of couldn’t say no to. She found it on Craigslist and, just the transformation. I think that’s what kind of pushed us all to say, “Okay, we have to do this now because this dog.” If you see pictures of it, just has terrible skin issues and looks awful, and today she looks beautiful and she knows she looks beautiful. And seeing things like that happen, kind of, before your eyes, it’s incredibly rewarding. And that’s really why we’re doing this.”
Wegener says having veterinarian Suzy Zustiak as part of the core group is extremely beneficial for an organization of this kind because they don’t have to raise money to pay for animal care.
Zustiak says they’re starting out by fostering the pets they have in their own homes, but the dream is to someday have a center or a sanctuary in the Port Angeles or Sequim area to centralize their program.
“I mean, we’re starting out pretty small, pretty slow because, you know, we have full-time jobs and other things that we’re doing. But yeah, we’d also be open to, you know, if there was a generous person that wanted to donate some property or just let us lease and use the property for that type of service, that’s like our main goal at the moment, is getting some place like that, just so we can help more animals.”
Wegener is working on a website and social media pages for Huckleberry House Rescue so, for now, the best way to contact them if you’re interested in fostering an animal or donating to the cause is by email at huckhouserescue@gmail.com.
Donations to support the rescue and its mission of caring for vulnerable companion animals can be made via PayPal. Simply search the email huckhouserescue@gmail.com on the PayPal app to make a donation.
(Photo: Moonboots before and after her ongoing treatment)