ABOUT TOAR
We show up for the animals no one else could reach.
Team Okanogan Animal Rescue was founded in 2023 with a simple conviction — that every animal in Okanogan County deserves a chance, regardless of the county's limited resources. What started as a grassroots idea has grown into Washington's largest free spay/neuter clinic and a lifeline for thousands of animals and families across Eastern Washington.
"To promote the humane treatment of companion animals in Okanogan County through spay/neuter, community engagement, sheltering and education."
— Team Okanogan Animal Rescue Mission Statement
OUR STORY
How TOAR came to be
Okanogan County has no publicly funded animal shelter. No animal control officer. A poverty rate of 21% — nearly one in five residents living below the poverty line. And thousands of animals every year with nowhere to go.
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In 2023, Jill Servais — a 35-year veteran of animal welfare — saw that gap and decided to fill it. She founded Team Okanogan Animal Rescue not as a shelter, but as something the county needed even more: a community-powered organization that could go directly to the people and animals who needed help most.
What started as a grassroots idea quickly became something remarkable. TOAR partnered with Greater Good Charities to launch the Big Fix — a free spay/neuter, vaccine, and microchip clinic that grew into Washington State's largest free clinic of its kind. TOAR built a pet food and supply distribution network that has now delivered over 300,000 pounds to families, rescues, and food banks across the county. TOAR launched a TNR program for community cats, an emergency veterinary fund, and a transport network that has moved hundreds of animals to partner rescues where they can find forever homes.
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All of it free to the community. All of it built from the ground up by a dedicated Board of Directors and volunteers.
TOAR'S IMPACT
since our inception in 2023
6,039
Spay/Neuters performed
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428,000 lbs
Food & Supplies distributed
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$112,000
Vet Services provided
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440
Volunteers engaged
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The community we serve
Why Okanogan County needs TOAR
No public animal shelter
Okanogan County has no publicly funded animal shelter and no animal control officer. Private rescues are the only safety net.
21% poverty rate
About one in five Okanogan County residents lives in poverty — making even basic veterinary care unaffordable for many families.
2,500+ animals need help
With no public infrastructure and limited resources, thousands of animals go without care every year without organizations like TOAR.
Okanogan County is the largest county by area in Washington State — a vast, rural landscape stretching from the Cascades to the Okanogan Highlands. The distance between communities, the absence of county animal shelter, and the economic hardship many families face creates a perfect storm for animal welfare challenges. TOAR exists because the county's most vulnerable animals and the families who love them deserve better than what public systems have been able to provide. We don't wait for the infrastructure to catch up. We build the solutions ourselves.
what drives us
Our Values
Community first
Pets stay in homes when families get support
Practical solutions
We find what works and do it now
Every animal matters
Every life in Okanogan County deserves a chance
Sustainable change
We strive to be proactive not reactive