Copper Quill Haven

03/12/2026

Any little bit helps this poor kitty!!!

We are calling on our community to for support. Gracie is a 16 year old domestic longhair kitty that suffered smoke inhalation last night.
We are asking for your support during this devastating time for her family.

Gracie was originally found as a stray and named after the character in Miss Congeniality. Since her dad-owner passed away in 2010, she has been the most precious remaining link to him for his surviving wife. Tragically, a recent house fire has taken the lives of Gracie’s best friend, a dog named Bella, and another family cat. While Gracie was rescued from the flames, she is currently suffering from severe smoke inhalation and her prognosis remains uncertain.

Gracie’s mom is now facing the heartbreaking loss of her home and two beloved pets, all while holding onto hope for Gracie’s recovery. As Gracie continues to fight and receive the critical care she needs, we are asking for donations of any size to help support her treatment and give her the chance to return home to the person who loves her most. Every act of kindness, big or small, makes a difference.

If you are able to help, please call Viking Veterinary Hospital in Nampa at 208.546.0979. Any member of our staff can assist you with a donation over the phone.

Thank you for your compassion and for helping us reunite Gracie with her loving mom.

02/11/2026

Borrowed from another organization

A Call to Action for Animal Control:

The Public Uses “Stray” to Mean Unowned—Animal Control Cannot

The public uses the word **“stray”** to mean *unowned*.
That is how the word is commonly understood outside the profession.

But animal control cannot afford to use the term that way.

To be stray, a dog must have **a place to be stray from.
That means a dog can be **stray and owned at the same time.
A dog can be **loose, stray, owned, and cared for**—all at once.

When animal control adopts the public’s definition of “stray,” we unintentionally treat owned dogs as disposable. That decision shapes every outcome that follows.

Words Drive Decisions—and Decisions Drive Death Rates

Once a dog is labeled “stray” in the unowned sense:

* Reunification becomes secondary
* Intake becomes automatic
* Timeframes shrink
* Euthanasia becomes acceptable

Yet the reality is simple: most dogs picked up for running at large have homes.

They were let out “just to potty,” slipped a gate, followed a scent, or were allowed to roam because “they always come back.” These are ownership behavior failures—not abandonment.

Public Language Is Not Professional Language

The public’s misuse of “stray” is understandable.
Animal control’s misuse is not.

Our role is not to mirror public assumptions—it is to apply professional accuracy and correct them.

When we fail to challenge this language:

* Owners are not held accountable
* Communities are miseducated
* Shelters absorb the burden
* Dogs pay the ultimate price

The Call to Action

Animal Control Officers must:

* Recognize that the public uses “stray” to mean unowned
* Refuse to let that definition guide professional decisions
* Acknowledge that both stray and loose dogs are often owned and cared for
* Prioritize getting dogs home and keeping them there**
* Correct public language through consistent education and enforcement

If animal control continues to operate on public assumptions, nothing will change.

If we operate on accurate definitions, outcomes change.

Dogs are not dying because they are stray.
They are dying because we allow “stray” to mean unowned inside our systems.

That is a choice—and it is one we can change.

02/09/2026

02/01/2026

We are still seeking those who are interested in volunteering in the next few weeks. Please e-mail us at [email protected] with your inquiry and skills.

We know many people are eager for next steps.

We appreciate the patience and care the community is showing while Copper Quill Haven continues to prepare.

Updates are coming, and we’ll share them as soon as they’re confirmed.

01/26/2026

Transparency matters to us.

If we don’t have confirmed information yet, we’ll say so. When we do, we’ll share it clearly and directly.

Though there are a lot of details not yet finalized for the transition period, Copper Quill Haven's objective is to serve the animals in our community with respect to care, accountability to our supporters, and genuine transparency.

As we get new things formalized, all of the updates and confirmations will be here.

To find our more about us, and the expertise of the founders, please visit copperquillhaven.org

If you're interested in being a volunteer please contact us at [email protected] with your information so we can get in touch when the time is right.

01/23/2026

We are not open to public for services at this time.

We are set to assume control of the county building hopefully mid February- we are still building, preparing, and developing during this phase.

The wait seems like quite a long one for all parties involved, but we are committed to starting off on the right foot to ensure the shelter is responsible, efficient, and productive in serving the real needs of our community with integrity and longevity.

In the next 2 weeks we will have a lot more details finalized that we are excited to share with you. Stay tuned for a shelter made real on the day of love.

If you are interested in volunteering please e-mail us at [email protected]

01/19/2026

To keep it simple:

We were able to see the building we will be moving into. We got to see things that worked well, and some things that would need to change so that we could better evaluate the needs of the building against the needs of our mission.

This means that while we are taking careful steps to responsibly respond to the walk-through, we don't have anything particularly exciting to share. This was a huge step towards a steadier momentum, and we are so excited for the ride!

Rest assured that between us, the Canyon County Commissioners, and West Valley Humane Society have all been working very hard to coordinate the best way to do a transition for us to take over the contract so that we can mostly effectively serve the community.

Stay tuned here for confirmed updates on our journey.

And for news on West Valley Humane's next chapter be sure to head to westvalleyhumanesociety.org for their confirmed updates as well.

01/17/2026

If it seems quiet on the update front, it is intentional on our part.

There is a lot of speculation, and a lot of unknowns flying around right now and in the spririt of staying true to full transparency, we are prioritizng only sharing updates if they confirmed details.

We thank you all for being so patient and passionate. Even though we are in a transition and preparation phase, we just want you all to know that we are working hard and that not all of our work is visible just yet.

Find our more about us at copperquillhaven.org

01/15/2026

There is a lot of curiosity about what Copper Quill Haven's current goals are during the transition period to taking over animal services for Canyon County.

Copper Quill Haven is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Nampa resident and business owner Dr. Natasha Laughter, a veterinarian and experienced business owner with a lifelong commitment to animal welfare. After years of working in both private practice and rescue partnerships, Dr. Laughter recognized a need for a nonprofit organization that blended high-quality veterinary expertise with responsible financial stewardship and compassionate care. With that vision in mind, she established Copper Quill Haven as a mission-driven, fiscally sound animal welfare organization beside Michelle Ziel-Dingman. Michelle is the current Exectutive Director of Snake River Animal Shelter, whose specialties will help us stabilize and scale business operations through budget oversight, grant management, and strategic community partnerships.

Though there are a lot of details not yet finalized for the transition period, Copper Quill Haven's objective is to serve the animals in our community with respect to care, accountibility to our supporters, and genuine transparency.

As we get new things formalized, all of the updates and confirmations will be here.

To find our more about us, and the expertise of the founders, please visit copperquillhaven.org

If you're interested in being a volunteer please contact us at [email protected] with your information so we can get in touch when the time is right.

01/07/2026

We’re preparing to manage the animal shelter for Canyon County, Nampa, and Caldwell — and we need your help! 🐈‍⬛🐕

As we stock our shelves, we’re looking for donations of everyday essentials like new or used towels, new or used blankets, trash bags, bleach, and laundry soap.

These simple supplies will help us provide clean, comfortable care for the animals counting on us. Every donation makes an immediate impact.

Amazon Wishlist: https://a.co/c2bFYh8

Please drop off items to Viking Veterinary Hospital in Nampa! These important partners are collecting donations for us 😍.

12/24/2025

✨ What’s in a name? ✨
The name Copper Quill Haven comes from the moment that brought Earl and Natasha together — and from one very adventurous dog. 🐾
Copper joined our family in 2017 after being adopted from the Idaho Falls Animal Shelter. She was a young Lab mix with endless energy and a smile no one could resist. From day one, Copper loved hiking, running, swimming, and exploring the wild.
Her curiosity once led her a little too close to a porcupine… and she came away with a face full of quills. 😅 Undeterred, Copper was ready to keep running like nothing happened.
At the emergency vet, Earl expected the professionals to handle it all — but they needed his help to hold Copper steady while she was sedated. That’s when Natasha stepped in, pulling quills while Earl held his very brave pup for the sedation. That moment sparked a connection — one that’s been replayed more than once over the years, thanks to Copper’s uncanny ability to find porcupines.
Six years later, Copper Quill Haven was born. ❤️

12/21/2025

We thank the community for your patience with this transition.

Our expected transition into operations is still in process but we expect Spring, 2026. We will keep everyone updated as timelines and logistics have been determined.

The Board of Canyon County Commissioners has chosen Copper Quill Haven (CQH) to operate shelter services within the county. The decision followed a recommendati