Useless Bay Sanctuary

Useless Bay Sanctuary Useless Bay Sanctuary is a nonprofit rescue organization specializing in hard-to-catch stray dogs and found stray dogs. Why another rescue organization?

We focus on trying to find the owner who lost the dog before putting strays up for adoption. Many small and large rescue groups in the Seattle area work hard every day to help dogs and cats find new homes. Useless Bay Sanctuary helps dogs that may not get help at traditional rescues. We will focus on helping two categories of stray dogs. First, we will specifically try to help stray dogs running l

oose that are hard to catch. Jim Branson, who started Useless Bay Sanctuary, has over seven years of experience catching stray dogs that are hard to catch. Once captured, we will work to locate the owner for thirty days. Then we will find a new home for the dog if the owner is not located. Most shelters would put a found dog up for adoption after three days, reducing the chances of the owner locating her dog. The second category of dog we will help is the stray dog someone has found, and the finder is unwilling to take the dog to the local shelter. This could be out of fear that the dog would be euthanized. We are a no-kill rescue, to the extent it is in the best interests of the dog. (We would not keep a dog alive, in agony due to an untreatable medical condition, just for the sake of keeping the dog alive.) Most rescue groups do not accept found stray dogs, and they refer the finder to the local shelter. We will accept found strays, as funding allows, and work to find the original owner. We will register the found dog with the local shelter, and keep the dog in foster care. If the dog is not neutered or spayed, we will have the dog fixed before putting him or her up for adoption at the end of thirty days. Dogs go to new homes that have been checked and approved. The type of dogs entering this rescue would probably be at a higher risk of escaping from their new homes, so we take preventive measures. This rescue was started on August 24th, 2013, and received a letter from the IRS recognizing us as a registered 501c3 nonprofit charity. We are also license and registered with the state of Washington. Please watch this page for updates, found dogs, adoptable dogs, and opportunities to volunteer or donate.

Short Stop needs a home. Can you foster or adopt him? He was a stray two weeks ago and a UBS volunteer caught him and b...
08/27/2026

Short Stop needs a home. Can you foster or adopt him? He was a stray two weeks ago and a UBS volunteer caught him and brought him to safety. He needs an environment where someone will have patience with him and help him remember how to be a member of a family. Please comment below or send us a message if you can help him out .

Useless Bay Sanctuary needs a drone. For some of the rescues we do, an infrared thermal drone would provide critical lo...
08/26/2026

Useless Bay Sanctuary needs a drone. For some of the rescues we do, an infrared thermal drone would provide critical location information to help us rescue a dog. In particular, a drone was very helpful as we were trying to help a dog on the shoulder of the freeway in Kirkland. The drone, operated by Stephanie Seek, of Seek and Rescue, let us know where the dog was and which way she was going, so we could set traps without spooking her. Stephanie is very busy, and not always available when UBS volunteers are trying to catch a dog. Can you help us with donations to purchase a $10,000 drone before tariffs kick in on September 3rd?

Do you recognize this dog? He had been wandering the area of 90th and 35th St SE in South Everett. Volunteers were able ...
08/16/2026

Do you recognize this dog?

He had been wandering the area of 90th and 35th St SE in South Everett.
Volunteers were able to trap him this morning. He has no microchip and will be going to the shelter today.

He is a stalky little guy, originally thought to be a chihuahua mix. He is about 20 lbs.

Please share in hopes of finding his owner.

Useless Bay Sanctuary Our CommitmentWhen one of our adopted dogs, Corkey, slipped away from a pet sitter, our volunteers...
07/15/2026

Useless Bay Sanctuary Our Commitment

When one of our adopted dogs, Corkey, slipped away from a pet sitter, our volunteers did not hesitate. Within hours, team members dropped what they were doing and headed to Bellingham. A search dog was ready to go, signs were made and put up, cameras placed and a humane trap was ready to be set, and a plan was put into action.

For two days, everyone worked together with one goal: Bring Corkey home safely.

The most important part of this success story was Corkey's family. They trusted the process, followed every direction we gave them, and stayed committed. They left their scent from where the search dog picked up his trail to their home. When they saw Corkey, they sat down and talked quietly so he heard comfort. Because of their patience and dedication, Corkey finally returned home. With a trap set in front of the house and a lure set in place to come in the door as another option with one owner on the floor in the living room and the other owner in the parking lot with one final creative idea, closing the door with a rope from the parking lot once he was safely inside Corkey was finally back in the arms of his owners.

At Useless Bay Sanctuary, we do not stop caring about a dog the day they are adopted. They are always part of our family. If one of our dogs goes missing, we will do everything we can to help bring them home.

A Big Huge “Thank You” to everyone who made this possible:

• Corkey's amazing family for their unwavering commitment.
• Three Retrievers Lost Pet Rescue for searching and tracking.
• James Branson for bringing up equipment, the brilliant rope-door idea.
• Dina Graham for traveling to help and provide cameras and strategy
• The Dogs-A-Jammin' staff who volunteer with UBS and immediately made lost dog signs.
• Bonnie White for searching and providing support.
• And the incredible Bellingham community. Their sightings, encouragement, and willingness to help show what can happen when an entire community rallies behind one lost dog.

Every successful reunion takes countless volunteer hours, miles driven, specialized equipment, cameras, humane traps, food, signs, fuel, and endless determination. We do this because we promised each one of these fosters, we would always be here for them.

If stories like Corkey's remind you why this work matters, please consider donating to Useless Bay Sanctuary. Your support allows us to answer the next call, respond immediately, and give another lost dog the best possible chance of getting back home.

Can you foster this beautiful baby boy? He was living in a ravine for several weeks before UBS volunteers could catch h...
03/16/2026

Can you foster this beautiful baby boy? He was living in a ravine for several weeks before UBS volunteers could catch him. Found in Auburn.

03/07/2026

This sweet puppy, rescued by UBS volunteers, had to go to the vet today for a foreign object in his stomach. It appears he acquired the habit of eating dirt and rocks in his previous home. His vet bills are up to $1500 so far. Any donations you make go to vet bills for this puppy and other dogs we help. Thank you.

Goose was running near the highway in Enumclaw for a week before UBS volunteers were able to catch him in a humane trap....
02/22/2026

Goose was running near the highway in Enumclaw for a week before UBS volunteers were able to catch him in a humane trap. He is about 8 months old, 28 pounds, very friendly but anxious. We hope he has a family looking for him, but we haven’t seen any signs of that so far. He would do better in a foster home that can nurse him back to health and help him gain confidence. Please let us know if you know his owners or if you can foster. The shelters are very full these days, and Goose would do better in a home that can build him up.

UBS volunteers were asked to help this sweet puppy who was hiding behind a garage in Tukwila. We were able to get him to...
02/20/2026

UBS volunteers were asked to help this sweet puppy who was hiding behind a garage in Tukwila. We were able to get him to safety. He looks like he might be about nine months old. He is not neutered and does not have a microchip. Can you help us find his owners? if you are able to foster him, please let us know. He is very sweet and gentle 

Address

P O Box 904
Burien, WA
98062

Telephone

+12065520304

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