Two Ojai teens are the winners of a poster design contest that highlights the 75th anniversary of the Humane Society of Ventura County.

The award-winning posters of Ashley Littlejohn and Kendra Vejtasa, both 18, will be included in a yearlong celebration as part of the Humane Society's marketing campaign, said Don Buffon, a member on the society's board of directors.

"The contest entailed submitting an 11-by-17-inch design for a poster recognizing the Humane Society's efforts to protect and care for needy animals in Ventura County," Buffon said.

"The goal of the contest was to draw attention to the work of the organization for the past 75 years," he said, "and to make the public aware of the important work we do."

Littlejohn and Vejtasa were in the same graphic design class at Nordhoff High School when they heard about the poster contest from their teacher.

"It was really fun. We sat right next to each other," said Littlejohn, an animal lover who will attend Ventura College in the fall.

Compassion was her motivation

Littlejohn's poster plays off the motto, "You Are Our Sunshine On Cloudy Days," with a background photo of the sun shining through the clouds; she took the photo last year, she said, while vacationing in Montana.

"The animals at the Humane Society want someone to love," she said. "I wanted to convey that the people are the sunshine on the animals' cloudy days."

Compassion was her motivation: "I put myself in their position," she said. "If I were an animal, I'd be sad stuck in a cage for many months. The people who adopt them are the sunshine."

As the owner of four dogs, six cats and more than a dozen fish, she said she was naturally drawn to the poster contest. "I love animals and I love helping animals," she said.

Vejtasa entered the contest because most of her pets came from the Humane Society.

"It's something I really support," said Vejtasa, who will study history at UC Davis in the fall.

Her graphic design created with Illustrator and Photoshop software includes a dog on the grass with clouds in the background and the words, "Making Dreams Come True for 75 Years."

"I really think animals do have special places in people's hearts, and I wanted to convey that," she said. "I love animals and it's really great what the Humane Society is doing — especially compared to the pound."

Services include pet therapy

While the primary mission of the Humane Society of Ventura County is to provide a safe, temporary home for unwanted animals while they await adoption, it also provides other services to help ensure that animals throughout the county are treated with love and respect.

For instance, the organization promotes low-cost spay and neutering at its Spay and Neuter Clinic in Ojai and provides a pet therapy program in which volunteers take animals from the shelter to visit patients in the area's nursing homes and hospitals.

Schools throughout the county also participate in the Humane Education Program, in which students learn about how snakes, birds, dogs, cats and other animals enhance the world.

Additionally, shelter employees are prepared 24 hours a day to help with the rescue and transportation of animals during emergencies and natural disasters.

Because pets are not allowed in Red Cross evacuation centers, the Humane Society shelter also is a drop-off point for animals after a flood, fire or earthquake.

Contest open to local students

In preparation for the launch of its 75th anniversary, the Humane Society of Ventura County opened the poster design contest to all local high school and college art students.

"The purpose of the contest was to draw attention to the Humane Society's long-standing efforts to provide care, shelter and protection to animals in Ventura County," Buffon said.

"While there was no set criteria for judging the entries," he said, "the board of directors was looking for images that captured the Humane Society's concern for the well-being of animals."

For their designs, Littlejohn received $250, and Vejtasa, the runner-up, received $100.

"The HSVC will display their work throughout the year as it celebrates 75 years of providing shelter and protection to animals," Buffon said.