Meet Dara Johnson, Our Newest Furry Friends Staff Member

We are thrilled to welcome our newest Furry Friends staff member, Dara Johnson, RVT (Registered Veterinary Technician)!

Dara was first introduced to Furry Friends by our Executive Director, Jenn Hutchman. The two worked together at several spay/neuter clinics, and it quickly became clear that Dara’s experience and passion for animal welfare would make her a wonderful addition to the Furry Friends team.

Dara initially joined Furry Friends as an independent contractor, teaching foster families and volunteers how to manage basic medical needs for the cats and kittens in their care. She was such a great fit that she was soon invited to join our staff as a part-time medical team member, working 10 hours a week.

A Passion for Veterinary Medicine

Dara left the Northwest to move to Southern California to pursue her medical training. She attended Pima Medical Institute, where she earned her veterinary technician credentials. During her internship at a county animal shelter, Dara discovered how much she loved shelter medicine.

After completing her training, Dara worked on a mobile spay/neuter bus, gaining valuable experience providing veterinary services in communities that needed them. She later traveled to Mexico, where she trained veterinary technicians in spay/neuter techniques so they could perform the procedures themselves and expand access to affordable veterinary care.

Eventually, Dara returned to her home in Southern Washington, where she worked for several years at a local veterinary practice.

Caring for Furry Friends' Cats

At Furry Friends, Dara’s primary responsibility is helping manage the health and medical needs of the cats and kittens in our care. She works closely with our foster families and volunteers and evaluates cats who may need additional medical attention. When a cat requires care beyond Dara’s area of expertise, she works with Dr. Langer, who provides veterinary care for many of our Furry Friends cats.

Dara’s role will become even more important when our new Furry Friends Medical Building is completed. We expect the building to be up and running in November 2026.

The new medical facility will allow us to provide much more care right here at Furry Friends. We now have IDEXX laboratory equipment and imaging capabilities, which will allow us to perform our own X-rays and many lab tests in-house. This will save the organization considerable money and, more importantly, allow us to diagnose and treat our cats more quickly.

The new facility will also allow us to perform a variety of veterinary procedures beyond spay and neuter. Dara will help set up the surgery suite and medical areas and will assist our veterinarian with procedures performed in the new building. Having an experienced RVT on our team will be an invaluable part of expanding our medical capabilities.

A Lifelong Foster Mom

Dara is also a Furry Friends foster volunteer—and she is certainly no newcomer to fostering! Over the years, she has fostered hundreds of cats and kittens. She especially enjoys taking in cats and kittens who need additional medical care and extra attention before they are ready for adoption.

Dara has also volunteered with another local rescue, Sacred Pawz, giving even more of her time and expertise to animals in need.

Life Outside of Furry Friends

When Dara isn't caring for cats, she has a busy household of her own. She and her family have two children, a five-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son, who help her care for their household menagerie.

The family shares their home with four cats, a blind dog, six chickens and two ducks!

Dara is also an avid gardener. She enjoys growing vegetables, plants and flowers and has a particular talent for starting plants from seeds. When she happens to find a little free time, she likes to relax by creating beadwork jewelry.

We’re So Happy to Have Dara!

Furry Friends is incredibly fortunate to have Dara joining our leadership team. Her veterinary knowledge, shelter experience and dedication to helping animals will be especially valuable as we expand our medical services.

But beyond her impressive skills, Dara is simply a joy to have around. Her effervescent personality and infectious smile brighten the shelter, and we are so happy to have her as part of the Furry Friends family.

Welcome to the team, Dara! We are thrilled to have you!