NEWS
Fab feline is here!
Do you have a special glamourpuss in your life? Now is the purrrfect time to celebrate their paw-someness while helping animals in need!
Now through Monday, April 21st, HSCC invites you to enter a picture of your Fabulous Feline with a $25 donation. Cat lovers near and far will vote for their favorites (1 vote = $1). Not only will you be able to share your kitty's unfurrgetable good looks with the world, but you could also win some amazing prizes:
1st Place (People's Choice): Grand prize -The winning cat will be featured on NBC5's Pet Connection, HSCC social
media and website (oh the fame & glory!)! Additionally, the winning cat will have their name and life's moto displayed on a Guardian Angel plaque in HSCC's lobby for one calendar
year (value $250), and HSCC staff will create a stunning portrait series of six "Bad Pet Portraits" of the winning feline (value $300). And last but not least, the
winning kitty will have an HSCC kitten named after them to carry on their legacy of fabulousness (priceless)!
2nd Place (People's Choice Runner-Up): The 2nd Place winning cat will be featured on HSCC’s social
media and website, PLUS receive three "Bad Pet Portraits" from HSCC staff.
3rd Place (Judges' Pick): The Judges' Pick cat will be featured on HSCC’s social media and website PLUS receive one "Bad Pet Portrait" from HSCC staff.
Each entry and vote benefits HSCC's programs & services and helps us care for thousands of animals each year.
Join us on Saturday, May 10th from 10-11AM at HSCC to learn all there is to know about kitten season and neonatal kitten care! Our kitten experts will teach you how to identify kittens in need of help, what to do when you bring them home, common health issues and how to treat them, and more. We’ll also feature a hands-on demonstration with teeny tiny baby kittens, so you can learn how to handle them and bottle feed with confidence! Whether you’re a seasoned foster parent or just a cat-loving community member, this seminar will give you all the tools you need to help kittens in your community!
This is a family-friendly event: Kids are welcome to attend!
Space is limited - interested paw-ticipants are encouraged to reserve tickets (FREE!)
Read our 2024 Annual Report
A message from HSCC's new executive director, Jess Wilson
Dear HSCC Community,
If we haven't met already, it’s a pleasure to meet you virtually! I joined the HSCC team in January after spending the last 27 years leading community media nonprofits in the Burlington area. Most recently I was the Co-Director of the Media Factory and a big part of my work was helping other nonprofit organizations engage their supporters and clients with compelling stories. I loved this work and the deep connections it allowed me to build in this community, but the idea of bringing my leadership and communication skills to an organization like HSCC was quite simply catnip to me!
I grew up in a large family here in Vermont and currently live in Shelburne with my wife, two stepchildren, two dogs and two cats (including HSCC alum Smudge).
Throughout my life, I’ve been fortunate to share my home with a variety of animals - cats, dogs, rabbits, and almost a baby turtle (thanks mom for making us return it to the wild where it belonged!). Each of these animals hold a special place in my heart and taught me many life lessons about empathy, responsibility, loss, and the pure joy of living in the moment. I believe the bond between a person and their companion animal can be transcendent. I’ve been lucky to experience the power of this connection and know that it bolsters the health and well-being of each.
I’ve long supported the mission of HSCC because the organization shares these values with me. The HSCC team works tirelessly to ensure every pet has a loving home and that every pet owner has access to the resources they need to give those pets healthy and happy lives. In my short time on the job, I've already witnessed life-saving surgeries, dozens of adoptions, and countless hours spent serving the community by our dedicated team of staff, volunteers, and board members, whose deep commitment to the animals in our care is truly inspiring.
I look forward to meeting more of you and invite you to stop by the shelter for a visit - if you’re lucky it will be a day that my pup Willoughby is at work, too. (Full disclosure: Willoughby will demand treats! And I will likely talk your ear off about all the exciting things happening at HSCC or my other passions, pickleball and theater.)
With Gratitude,
Jess Wilson
Newsletters & Reports
Click below to view our summer newsletters:
Want to stay up-to-date with all the happenings at HSCC? Click here to sign up for our mailing list.
Click below to view our annual reports:
Annual Events
HSCC's 7th annual Fabulous Feline Foto Contest runs April 7th - April 21st, 2025!
Click here to enter and vote today!
Congratulations to the winners of our 6th annual Fabulous Feline Foto Contest:
Save the date for our third annual Black Tie & Tails Benefit on June 7th, 2025!
Thank you to everyone who came out to support Bark & Brew 2024! We had a pawsome time this year, and thanks to our amazing sponsors and supportive community, we raised $30,000 for our programs & services helping animals in need. Stay tuned for details about Bark & Brew 2025!
After 2 weeks of furriendly competition, 54 photos submitted, 5,457 votes cast, and a true "foto finish" in the last few moments, a total of $6,807 was raised in our 3rd Annual Fabulous Feline Foto Contest! Thank you to all who entered and voted - we can't wait for next year!
Community events
The Helyn Kerr Humane Education Series offers free seminars on various humane education topics that are geared towards anyone interested in knowing more about their companion animals.
Upcoming Seminars
Kitten Season 101: Bottle Babies & Beyond!
When: Saturday, May 10th, 2025, 10AM-11AM
Where: HSCC Classroom (142 Kindness Court, S Burlington VT)
In this seminar, you’ll learn all there is to know about kitten season and neonatal kitten care. Our kitten experts will teach you how to identify kittens in need of help, what to do when you bring them home, common health issues and how to treat them, and more. We’ll also feature a hands-on demonstration with teeny tiny baby kittens, so you can learn how to handle them and bottle feed with confidence! Whether you’re a seasoned foster parent or just a cat-loving community member, this seminar will give you all the tools you need to help kittens in your community!
Saturday, March 22nd, 2025
11PM - 1PM
Grand Isle Fire Department: 17 Hyde Road, Grand Isle, VT
$20 per vaccine - cards and cash accepted
Check back for updates about future rabies clinics, and click here to schedule a rabies vaccine through our Community Pet Clinic!
Check back for future updates!
Adoption Center Hours:
Tuesday - Friday: 1PM - 4PM
Saturday: 12PM - 4PM
Sunday & Monday: Closed
Interested adopters are encouraged to arrive at least 1 hour before we close to allow enough time to complete the adoption process.
Happy Tails
