News & Events

Join Friends of JAS for our second annual membership meeting and board elections on October 20, 2026, at Lacey City Hall. Hear an update from Joint Animal Services Executive Director Sarah Hock, learn about FoJAS projects and accomplishments, and find out how you can get more involved.

A new surgical vital signs monitor is helping the Joint Animal Services veterinary team provide safer, more advanced care during surgery. Funded by Friends of JAS supporters, the equipment allows closer monitoring during complex procedures and helps give more animals a chance at a successful outcome.

Candy is the heartbeat of Friends of JAS. Through her leadership, determination, and willingness to take on daunting tasks, she helped turn an idea into the nonprofit organization FoJAS is today. And no story about Candy would be complete without recognizing Rob, her partner in life—and in more than a few ambitious projects.

Friends of JAS had a busy summer, from spreading the word about Joint Animal Services at the Lakefair Parade to tackling landscaping, cleanup, and painting projects at the shelter. Along the way, volunteers connected with the community, earned two parade awards, and helped make the shelter a more welcoming place for animals, staff, and visitors.

Friends of JAS helped expand enrichment opportunities for shelter dogs by adding new agility equipment to the Joint Animal Services off-leash area. Funded through a Nisqually Indian Tribe grant and individual donations, the improvements give dogs more opportunities for exercise, mental stimulation, and stress relief while they wait for their new homes.

Friends of JAS joined the 4th annual Tumwater Dog Days at Pioneer Park, where volunteers shared information about Joint Animal Services, welcomed more than 30 new FoJAS members, and enjoyed a very warm afternoon with plenty of four-legged helpers. Our canine volunteers may have preferred the splash pad and play zones to booth duty, but they were excellent ambassadors!

Friends of JAS will be attending Paws 4 A Cause on May 2, 2026, at Heritage Park in Olympia! Join us for a meaningful day supporting cancer research for people and pets—we’d love to see you there. 🐾

This wasn’t a garden party — it was a garbage party!
Friends of JAS volunteers hauled away 3.3 tons of debris from Joint Animal Services and tackled a long list of cleanup projects to brighten the shelter grounds and support staff and animals alike.

Stop by the Feline Friends Holiday Bazaar on Saturday 12/13/25. We will see you there!

On September 19th, volunteer extraordinaire Janine turned her garage into a fundraiser for Friends of JAS—showing how one great idea can make a big difference for animals in our community.

Friends of JAS is proud to share our very first completed project — a beautiful new gazebo in the dog play area at Joint Animal Services! Thanks to a generous grant from the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the hard work of our volunteers, the dogs and their human friends now have a place to relax in the shade or stay dry during rainy days.

Friends of JAS returned to the Capital Lakefair Parade for our second year of celebrating shelter pets! Our cheerful float featured the many types of animals available for adoption through Joint Animal Services — and even though the pets were stuffed this year, the cheers and smiles from the crowd were very real.

Friends of JAS was proud to take part in Paws 4 A Cause on May 3 at Heritage Park. We had a booth, met wonderful community members, and walked alongside our pups to support the fight against cancer in people and pets. Thank you to everyone who stopped by!

Friends of JAS is officially a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization!