about C.A.R.E.S.
Our Mission
CARES promotes public safety and the health and welfare of animals through animal-control services, compassionate shelter care, community education, reunification, and adoption.
We work to strengthen the bond between people and animals while carrying out the laws, ordinances, and contractual responsibilities applicable to the communities we serve.
Independent and Locally Operated
CARES is a small but mighty, locally operated nonprofit animal shelter. We provide animal-control and sheltering services for Burien and Des Moines, along with sheltering services for Federal Way. CARES operates independently and is not part of King County or another regional shelter system.
Federal Way residents needing animal-control assistance should contact the animal-control agency designated by the City of Federal Way.
Where It All Started
In 2011, we embarked on a journey to create a lasting legacy for the Burien community. The City of Burien was looking for an alternative to Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) who was contracting with 24 cities at that time. They were envisioning more local services for their Animal Control needs. Understanding their vision, one dedicated animal advocate put together a proposal for those services and Burien Community Animal Resource & Education Society (CARES) non-profit was founded. Our first location was a small office in a back alley building with an Executive Director and an Animal Control officer. We had a phone, a few kennels, and a lot of drive to make the vision a reality.
This is Toby, aka Primo (for #1). He is the first dog Burien CARES helped find a furever home! Unfortunately, Toby recently crossed the Rainbow Bridge, but he will always have a special place in our hearts!
It Was a Long Road,
but It Got Us to This Point
After adopting out our beloved Toby, we quickly outgrew our small office. In the early days, we faced both support and opposition in our mission, but our dedication and the invaluable help from our community kept us moving forward. Many generous individuals donated their time, assisted with the care of our animals, and spread the word about Burien’s local animal shelter. We were fortunate to secure an 8,000 sq. ft. warehouse for rent, which was both exhilarating and intimidating. We eagerly embraced the challenge of building kennels, cat rooms, and offices from scratch. With a lean budget, we dedicated numerous late nights and weekends to the construction, often taking on the work ourselves. The City of Burien recognized our efforts and continued to renew our animal control contract year after year, further cementing our role in the community.
The Here & Now
We have 16 employees and many dedicated volunteers. By December 2022, CARES had taken in nearly 8,000 animals, found adoptive homes for more than 4,000 pets, and reunited almost 2,000 lost animals with their families. Numerous kittens and puppies have also been born in our care.
Our community is essential to CARES. Whenever we need items, you respond. We also get monthly donations from Costco and Mud Bay. Thanks to our supporters, we donate cat and dog food/items to four local food banks to ensure no animal goes hungry.
We strive to give every animal a chance to find a permanent home. While we sometimes face tough decisions, we always prioritize the well-being of the animals in our no-kill shelter. Our success shows that a local nonprofit for animal care can thrive and make a difference.
The Future is Bright
More than a decade after CARES began, our commitment remains the same: to provide dependable local animal-control and sheltering services while giving every animal in our care individual attention.
An important part of CARES’ future was secured in 2021, when we purchased the building our shelter calls home. This permanent home provides greater stability for our organization and the communities we serve.
That achievement was possible because of the generosity and confidence of our donors, volunteers, supporters, and community partners. As CARES moves forward, we remain focused on strengthening our services, supporting responsible pet ownership, reuniting lost animals with their families, and finding stable, loving homes for animals awaiting adoption.