Seven years ago, in Yolo County, where the bond between a community and its animals runs deep, a unique collaboration emerged to shine a light on the most vulnerable residents of the local shelter.
The ‘Pets of the Week’ feature in the pages of The Daily Democrat in Woodland was born from the need to help local foster animals find homes and became a long-standing staple of the newspaper, finding life through a dedicated sponsorship by Nytch and the Lea family. This partnership represents a perfect harmony of modern technology and traditional philanthropy, all aimed at one goal: finding ‘forever homes’ for Yolo County Animal Services shelter pets.
Nytch, a local tech platform that connects shoppers with neighborhood businesses, saw the sponsorship as an extension of its mission to support the local community. By funding the weekly feature, they ensured that the stories of dogs, cats, and other ‘adoptables’ from Yolo County Animal Services reached a broad audience of compassionate readers.
For the company, it was about far more than just business; it was about utilizing their platform to foster a more connected and caring community.
“Nytch’s sponsorship of The Daily Democrat’s ‘Pets of the Week’ over the past several years has resulted in so many shelter animals being placed into their ‘forever’ homes across Yolo County,” said Director of Yolo County Animal Services Stephanie Amato.
The sponsorship was personal for the Lea family, who have a storied history of service in Yolo County. Members of the Lea family are prominent figures in Yolo County philanthropy, spending decades advocating for animal welfare and community well-being. Their involvement, alongside family, added a layer of heartfelt dedication to the project. They understood that our municipal shelter often operated with very limited resources and wanted to help. By stepping in to create and sponsor this weekly feature, they provided the visibility these animals desperately need to get noticed and helped hundreds of shelter animals find their forever families.
Every week, the ‘Pets of the Week’ feature highlights a few specific animals, complete with high-quality photos and personality-filled descriptions provided by the shelter’s dedicated staff and volunteers. Whether it is a senior dog looking for a quiet place to spend its golden years or a pair of bonded kittens ready to bring energy to a new home, the feature tells their stories in a way that resonates with readers of The Daily Democrat and DailyDemocrat.com.
After 7 years, a changing business model has required new sponsorship to be found for the weekly ‘Pets of the Week’ feature. Yolo County Animal Services, The Daily Democrat, and our community are forever grateful to the Lea family for their years-long commitment, and we have all been made better through the success of their local efforts.
Since the partnership began, Yolo County Animal Services has seen a heartening increase in inquiries and adoptions directly attributed to the ‘Pets of the Week’ column. The sponsorship by Nytch and the Lea family did more than just fill a page in the newspaper; it built a bridge between the shelter’s kennels and the living rooms of local families.
‘Pets of the Week’ has and will continue to serve as a weekly reminder that compassion is a community-wide effort, and that through the simple act of sharing a story, lives can be forever changed – one wagging tail at a time.
“We want to thank the Lea family for their many years of support of our shelter and of Yolo County Animal Services – their generosity has been deeply appreciated,” said Yolo County Animal Services Director.
