Furry friends fuel facelift at Washougal animal shelter

For several years, West Columbia Gorge Humane Society Executive Director Micki Simeone longed to do something to spruce up the two shipping-container storage buildings on the east side of the Washougal animal shelter.

“They looked awful,” she said.

The fact that the eventual solution to the problem also could draw awareness to the nonprofit organization was, in Simeone’s estimation, an added bonus.

The nonprofit unveiled a mural of seven animals owned or previously owned by Humane Society supporters on the side of one of those buildings Sept. 10 during a dedication ceremony honoring the animals’ owners and the mural’s artists.

“When people drive by or walk by, I want them to see the mural and go, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s adorable — and oh, is that a Humane Society?’ ” Simeone said.

Laura Kelly, West Columbia Gorge Humane Society’s volunteer manager, came up with the idea for a mural and began talking with two shelter volunteers — Janice Ferguson, a Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance board member, and Sheila McCaig, a retired art teacher. Ferguson said she’d bring the idea to the alliance’s board. McCaig said she’d bring the idea to one of her former co-workers, Travis London, a Vancouver Public Schools art teacher and Washougal resident who has created more than 10 public artworks in Washougal during the past decade.

Things came together quickly after alliance leaders pledged $1,500 to the project, and London agreed to serve as the artist. London, assisted by McCaig, began work on the mural in April and finished in August.

“I love the work that they do,” London said about the Humane Society. “They’re all great people, and their mission is amazing. I thought it’d be fun because I love to paint animals and support their work.”

During the West Columbia Gorge Humane Society’s A Tail To Remember fundraising event March 1, shelter leaders offered their supporters a chance to have their pet featured on the mural in return for a silent auction bid of $1,000 and received seven pledges.

Diana Alderman, a longtime volunteer and former board member, made two bids in honor of her cats Little Dude and Barbie. Alderman adopted both felines from the Humane Society and nursed them through significant, lifelong health challenges — fevers and gastrointestinal issues for Little Dude, who died at the age of 15, and stomatitis for Barbie, who is now 15 and still lives with Alderman, toothless but feisty as ever.

Alderman said she feels “extremely proud” when she looks at the mural.

“I’m happy that I had the means to do this and honor them both, as well as the shelter,” Alderman said. “And Travis did an amazing job. He captured them perfectly.”

Alderman’s cats are joined on the mural by two fellow felines (Emma and Tira) and three dogs (Augustus, Beau and Raeney).

“It’s a collection of animals that represent the population of animals that we work with, the little souls that we save, support and serve,” Simeone said. “This is why we hustle to raise money. This is why our shelter staff hustles to take animals in, prepare them for adoption and get them adopted out.”

The mural will appear on the Washougal Arts and Culture Alliance’s public arts tour, which features roughly 50 installations of public art throughout the city.

“That’s a big deal,” Simeone said. “I feel blessed not just to have the mural but to actually be on the tour. I think that’s the coolest thing.”

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; doug.flanagan@columbian.com