It's the first full week on the job for new Wenatchee Valley Humane Society (WVHS) executive director James Pumphrey, and he's already making connections within the community.

After attending his first WVHS event over the weekend, Pumphrey says he's already convinced this is a great place to be if you care about animals.

"I was just at our Holiday Brunch event over the weekend and was so impressed that, in the middle of a snowstorm, our community showed up and we had a packed room of over 200 people to support the cause. That already really stands out to me that we have a very involved, progressive, and loving community surrounding animals and animal welfare issues."

Pumphrey, who has headed up large animal shelters throughout the U.S. and was most recently the director of a pet rescue operation in Nevada, says his immediate focus as executive director of the WVHS will be finding good homes for its current population.

"Getting our animals into new homes for the holidays is a primary goal. We want animals to be adopted all the time, but especially this time of year when we know people can be home to get to know them more right away. That's so important. Certainly learning the ins and outs of the organization and the community and their most pressing needs are also a top priority for me as well."

Pumphrey will work alongside interim executive director Dawn Davies for the remainder of December before fully assuming his new role to begin 2023.

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