Two vehicles at C.A.R.E.S. Animal Shelter in South King County were vandalized over the weekend, leaving the staff to believe it was a targeted attack.
The vandalism involved smashing five windows and slashing six tires, an act that shelter staff believe required tools and significant force.
“As the director, my immediate concern was—how do I get my vehicles back up operational? What’s that financially going to do to us?” said Debra George, director of CARES Animal Shelter. “It definitely feels like a hate crime towards us. It took less than 30 seconds. It was a direct hit on us and no one else,” George added.
Jay Seiber, owner of Supreme Auto Glass, responded to the incident after seeing a social media post about the vandalism.
“I made a comment that we’d love to take care of it for them and they reached out Monday morning and we got our guys out there that afternoon to take care of it,” Seiber said.
Other local businesses also contributed by replacing most of the damaged tires, and the community donated directly to the shelter.
George expressed gratitude for the community’s support, saying, “They see the value in us—and that means a lot.”
The shelter, which has been operating for fourteen years, takes in more than a thousand animals annually and is currently at capacity.
George noted that financial struggles are causing more people to give up their pets, citing a recent intake of a mother and seven puppies.
The King County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the vandalism, but with limited leads, they are asking for public assistance.
Anyone with information or surveillance footage from the area is encouraged to come forward.
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