WINTER 2020 | VOL . 32 | NO. 2
North Bay Pets Forever Home WHEN A
SEEMS SO FAR AWAY Going the extra mile for pets with special medical & behavior needs
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HEALING PETS + RELIEVING WORRY Our CVC’s ripple effect! | p.11
HAPPY
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Thanks to Our Gala Guardian Angels Our award-winning Wags, Whiskers & Wine annual gala is made possible by the compassion and generosity of our fabulous sponsors. Betty Ann Sutton of Mr. Ryder and Company is a longtime friend of the Humane Society of Sonoma County and we were so honored to have her sponsorship of our virtual event this year! M R . RY D E R A N D CO M PA N Y
Mr. Ryder and Company Is a fabulous emporium of art and antiques located on Graton Road in Graton. So, who is “Mr. Ryder”? Mr. Ryder was Betty Ann’s rescue dog. Her maiden name is Ryder and adding “mister” to his name was a tribute to her dad, the original Mr. Ryder. Betty Ann had been “rescuing” antiques for 25 years and rescuing cats with Forgotten Felines for nearly as long. She became interested in supporting an organization that was making a difference for both dogs and cats. We are so grateful that she chose the Humane Society of Sonoma County! Betty Ann donated a portion of her mother’s estate to the HSSC Spay/Neuter clinic, and has been generously supporting our animals ever since. Thank you Betty Ann! In 1974, the Jackson family bought a small vineyard in Lake County, California, and making wine became so much more than a business — it became a tradition and a family legacy. As founder, Jess Jackson said, they “simply wanted to create extraordinary wine from California's best vineyards.” The extended Kendall-Jackson family, from winemakers to culinary experts, represents the best in the food and wine industry. Their estate vineyards are located throughout the cool California coastal regions, where they sit atop mountains, ridges, hillsides and benchlands. Kendall-Jackson is a Sonoma County landmark and we are so proud of and grateful for their partnership. K E N DA L L-J A C KS O N W I N E R Y
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E AV
T H E D AT E!
A huge HSSC THANK YOU to our dear friends at Kendall-Jackson Winery for sponsoring our award-winning virtual gala this year! Not only did they generously host the livestream portion of the event at their beautiful Wine Estate and Gardens, they’ve graciously invited us back next year! We can’t wait to see you there for Wags, Whiskers & Wine on August 6, 2021.
AU
G 6 • 2021
PROU D SU PPORT E R OF
THE HUMANE SOCIETY
©2020 KENDALL-JACKSON WINERY, SANTA ROSA, CA
OF SONOM A COU N T Y
KENDALL-JACKSON WINE ESTATE AND GARDENS
5007 Fulton Road, Fulton, CA 95439 707.571.8100 | kj.com | @kjwines
Letter
N O R T H B AY P E T S
from the Executive Director
ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, OUR B OA R D O F D I R ECTO R S , H S S C STA F F AND VOLUNTEERS , THANK YOU
for your extraordinary support during this very challenging year. Nothing is or has been “normal” for any of us since mid-March. As if Covid-19 wasn’t enough, our community has endured another intense fire season — pushing many of us close to our breaking point. At the Humane Society I am all too aware that the staff, our beloved volunteers and each of you have faced and continue to face your own challenges, and yet our collective dedication to the animals has proven the one common, binding thread in a seemingly unraveling world around us. Since the onset of the pandemic, providing a safety net to our community has been paramount. We’ve seen an increased demand for our low- to no-cost support services for people and their pets and, while demand has grown, our ability to respond has been challenged by the need for new safety protocols. With many services offered only
by appointment and delivered at curbside, new ways of communicating and interacting with clinic clients, adopters, fosters, youth campers and the public at large have become crucial. In spite of all these challenges, our amazing team of staff and volunteers have rallied to save more lives, to tell our story in new and better ways, to build new partnerships and rededicate ourselves to our compassionate mission.
inside
Gala Guardian Angels. . . . . . . . . . . . p 2 Cover Story: When A Forever Home Seems So Far Away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 4 Happy Tails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 6 News From Healdsburg. . . . . . . . . . p 8 Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 9 Rising Up And Catching Up! . . . . . . p 10 Weekend Wellness Clinics. . . . . . . . p 10 Thank You Dr. Henriksen! . . . . . . . . p 10 Healing Pets + Relieving Worry . . . p 11 Humane Ed Program Updates . . . . p 12 Turning A Pivot Into A Pirouette . . p 13 Our Amazing ACTs!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 14 Bequests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . p 15 Foster Program Updates. . . . . . . . . p 15
Thanks to you, vision and opportunity are alive and well at HSSC. They thrive alongside the four-legged (and sometimes three-legged!) animals so dependent on us. You are the reason we can say yes — every day — to the animals and people who need us. To those who have welcomed a furry companion into their homes, thank you. To those who have used our services to care for your pet, thank you. To those who have generously donated, thank you.
The Humane Society of Sonoma County — ensuring every animal receives protection, compassion, love and care.
Thank you for keeping the animals and your neighbors in your hearts and top of mind.
North Bay Pets is a publication of the Humane Society of Sonoma County.
With sincere and heartfelt gratitude,
WENDY WELLING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
We are a locally-founded, locally-funded nonprofit organization supported through donations from our community. TAX I D # 9 4 - 6 0 01 3 1 5
Content Writer/Editor Signe Ross-Villemaire Contributors Julie Compton Dr. Lisa Labrecque Katie McHugh Senior Designer Sarah Lenz Contributing Photographers Kelsey Joy Murphey Ciara Pegg Michelle Teruel
Wend
Cover Photograph ©2020 The Labs & Co., www.thelabsand.co
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On The Cover Sushi came to us when her owner moved to an assisted living situation and was no longer able to care for her. Our shelter medical team soon discovered that Sushi was diabetic. With insulin therapy and a prescription diet, Sushi’s condition is now in remission and she’s ready to find a forever home! Read more about how we go the extra mile to provide second chances for pets with special medical and behavioral needs on pg. 4.
N O R T H B AY P E T S
Forever Home WHEN A
SEEMS SO FAR AWAY
GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR PETS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL & B E H AVI O R N E E D S
At HSSC, our promise to the animals is written into our mission: to ensure each one receives protection, compassion, love and care. Whether an animal comes to us as a stray, from an owner who can no longer manage their care, or from a shelter that lacks the benefit of time and resources to support a positive outcome — when an animal needs a second chance, we promise to do whatever it takes to get them into a loving home. For some animals, this means only a routine medical exam to rule out any underlying conditions, a few vaccinations, and a fine “hello, how do you do?” to help determine what their ideal home might look like. These lucky pets spend just a night or two with us before they are scooped up by eager families. But what about the senior cat with chronic medical needs (like our cover model, Sushi!) or the middle-aged dog who missed out on healthy socialization early in life? Sometimes animals like these wait a little longer to find homes where they will be loved for the unique beings they are. To help these older, more high maintenance little buddies make their way to a loving home, our Canine and Feline Behavior teams employ a “whole animal approach.” They work with animals on an individual basis and tailor behavior plans for those who arrive shy, fearful or edgy — letting animals “tell us who they are” so we can meet their emotional needs and provide future adopters with insights and tools for successful transition into their homes. Our shelter medical team works diligently to meet these animals where they are in terms of physical health as well. “Many of the more than 2,000 animals who come through HSSC each year have some type of medical condition that will require ongoing care or management, whether it’s allergies or arthritis, FeLV or FIV, kidney or thyroid disease, 4
even diabetes and cancer,” explains Dr. Lisa Labrecque, HSSC Director of Veterinary Services. “We also take in animals from other shelters who are facing euthanasia because of injuries or other urgent medical needs, including those with conditions that are more laborintensive to treat, or those in need of dentistry, blood work, or extensive medical work-ups,” Dr. Labrecque elaborates. “These are the animals we are called upon to care for. Our staff takes such pride in knowing that we have not only helped these animals feel better, but in many cases we have also saved their lives.” From a business standpoint this might beg the question, “isn’t that a drain on precious HSSC resources?” How many “easy” animals could be saved with the time/space/ resources it takes to treat just one who needs more care? These aspects are all part of a fluid equation that our teams balance each day as we strive to make our greatest impact. Also integral to achieving balance are key strategies that increase our capacity (such as adopt-from-foster) and help us move animals through the shelter quickly and efficiently (such as staff cross-training). And, by reducing the number of animals who enter the shelter in the first place (preventing overpopulation with our Low-Cost Spay/ Neuter Clinic and keeping pets with the families that love them with our Community Veterinary Clinic), we have room to take in even more animals who need us. We believe that each animal deserves a chance to be safe and loved — and we know you do too. Even in a year fraught with uncertainty, you have helped us bring the promise of good health and happiness that much closer to home for so many! Here are just a few of the faces your compassionate support has made a meaningful difference for this year:
N O R T H B AY P E T S
Whiskey and Barley are a middleaged bonded pair who were found as strays and transferred into our care from our local municipal shelter so they could receive individualized care for their unique needs. Both dogs exhibited common behavior issues such as “stranger danger” and they did not like to be reached for or picked up. Our Healdsburg staff is working closely with our behavior team to help them feel more confident and comfortable as we actively seek out a home where the duo can have plenty of reassuring laptime and a predictable routine. Angel was transferred to us from an overcrowded shelter with some treatable medical conditions — she had ear mites and required surgery to address a large salivary gland cyst under her tongue. She was also very shy and scared so our feline team used plenty of positive reinforcement techniques to help her feel more comfortable around people. Your support enabled our veterinary team to provide surgery for this young sweet cat and bought her the time she needed to come out of her shell and into her new forever home. Chrysanthemum came to us from our county partners needing some medical support, including dental care. Bloodwork revealed that she had elevated liver enzymes, which our veterinary team was able to normalize with medication. She is also on medication for high blood pressure. A mellow sweetheart who appreciates a lot of togetherness time, our behavior team recommends that Chrysanthemum go to a home where she will receive consistent companionship. She also appears to be deaf, so they have compiled plenty of safety pointers to share with her future adopter!
Huckleberry came to us from a crowded partner shelter. In addition to having hyperthyroidism and early renal disease, he also appears to have a bit of arthritis in his spine and hips which a joint supplement seems to help. These conditions do not prevent this sweet and affectionate 12-year-old from enjoying frequent chin scratches and companionship! We think he will have several happy years ahead with a loving adopter who will manage his care for the long term. Otis came to us when his original owner passed away. The 11-yearold Rat Terrier mix was having a hard time adjusting to all the changes in his life, so our behavior team gave him plenty of time to warm up and approach them on his own terms. In addition to minor medical issues, he had extensive dental decay and required 17 extractions to live his healthiest life. Happily, Otis has started his next chapter with a wonderful adopter who continues to work with our behavior team to ensure Otis feels safe and is adjusting well. Deuce and Jaxson, a bonded pair of teenager kitties, were transferred to us from an East Bay rescue group. In addition to treating them for upper respiratory infections, we treated them for ringworm — a highly contagious fungal condition that requires lengthy and intensive treatment. Ringworm cats and kittens face euthanasia at many shelters due to lack of space and resources. Thanks to your support, this sweet duo is now healthy and ready to find a home where they can stay together! 5
N O R T H B AY P E T S
COWBOY
F L A PJAC K ( now KO D A )
J E L LY ( now I C H I G O )
Sometimes an animal waits a little longer for just the right adopter to come along. In Cowboy’s case, he waited not-so-patiently for 197 days before galloping home with a family of his very own — Kate, Jed and their lovely dog Daisy!
Flapjack (now Koda), came to us as a stray. The tiny kitten had been born with Entropion, an irritating and painful condition that caused her eyelashes to rub against her eyes. She also suffered from conjunctivitis and an upper respiratory infection, so we placed her in a loving foster home where she could heal and be cared for until she was old enough to have corrective surgery.
Jelly came to us from another shelter where his behavior was categorized as “shut down”. For the first two days he was with us, he hid under his bed. We tossed treats to him so he didn’t have to approach us to get them. After a few days, he was venturing out to take treats from our hands before going back under his bed. Progress!
Kate recently sent us a fun update: “I love my little 60 lb. mama’s boy! He comes down for breakfast with me every morning, unless of course he needs extra cuddle time with dad. He snuggles up at the top of the bed, as close to our faces as possible! And he loves his sister Daisy, they play CONSTANTLY. He’s helped her become better on a leash. When we take them out on a double lead, he steers her in a straight line. He is so well-behaved and polite, despite his endless energy!” “Thank you for taking such good care of Cowboy while he was with you. He is so very loved by his whole family!”
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Surgery was a success! And, by that point, she’d stolen her foster family’s hearts so they brought her home for good! We soon learned that, after overcoming early obstacles, Koda was blind. “It doesn’t slow her down though,” her family shares. “She’s a super active and happy girl! We love spoiling her with attention and watching her carry her “baby” (a pompom) around the house while talking to it.” “Even through an evacuation to a hotel room, she makes the best of different surroundings and is as playful and cuddly as ever. She is a true gift to us during a difficult time. Her cuddles make everything better!”
Soon, Jelly was staying out longer to investigate treats, people and his leash. We discovered he was quite the jaunty walker, but easily startled by new sounds and sights. After a week, Jelly was waiting by his door for us! Jelly (now Ichigo) will likely always be a little cautious in the world, but he has gone from shut down to enthusiastic and loving life! His new mom tells us, “He continues to make great progress! He loves walks in the woods, looking for deer, sniffing fox poop and above all, French Toast!”
N O R T H B AY P E T S
CASSIDY
M A H A L O ( now T E E T S I )
M I L L I E ( now A V A )
Cassidy is a sweet, athletic “pittopotomus” who was transferred to us through our partnership with ASPCA’s Closer to Home program. We knew she would need an active family who could accommodate a big dog with LOTS of energy. Enter Ray. He scheduled an appointment to meet her and they hit it off immediately. He was thrilled to make the adoption official and bring Cassidy home!
Mahalo was just three weeks old when he came to us with hair loss and crusting all over his tiny body. In addition to conjunctivitis, our veterinarian diagnosed him with scabies and ringworm — itchy, uncomfortable conditions which are contagious to other cats and to people. He spent over a month in our hospital’s special isolation ward with strict safety protocols in place, receiving healing medical treatments and lots of TLC.
Millie is a “people bunny.” Her foster family noticed she would always find a way to get out of her pen so she could come be near them! Her foster mom, Lori, knew Millie would be a perfect house rabbit for someone wanting a charming, well-mannered free-roamer.
When he was healthy enough to be made available for adoption, Mahalo (now Teetsi) was instantly scooped up by Chase and Andy.
“Ava has brought so much love into our home! She runs the show but we don’t mind, she rewards us with cuddles and kisses. Having a rabbit around the house brings a newfound energy we’ve never known before. When it’s time for her salad each morning and evening, she runs up and down the hallway and kicks her back legs up in excitement. She is a wonderful companion and we are lucky to have found her.”
Ray recently sent the following update: “A week after I adopted Cassidy, we had to evacuate our home from the LNU fire. For almost two weeks we bonded together car camping in Sonoma County regional parks. Cassidy kept me distracted from the stress from the fire being less than a mile from our home.” “We were fortunate to have not lost our home. Since then, Cassidy has got me back into a kayak and our daily walks have gotten me back into shape. Her loving companionship and enthusiasm for life are amazing. I look forward to our continued adventures along the coast and parks.”
They tell us, “After such a rough start, Teetsi is the just the sweetest kitty! All he wants to do is play and cuddle. We recently lost one of our pets, and Teetsi is quickly filling the hole in our hearts. We love him so much and are grateful for the time and care you put into saving his life!”
Millie (now Ava) turned out to be perfect for the Magowan family, who have sent us regular updates since bringing her home. This one was so sweet we had to share:
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N O R T H B AY P E T S
NEWS F R O M O U R H E A L D S B U R G S H E LT E R We are so doggone proud of our Healdsburg Shelter team! Between COVID-related disruptions and the threat of fires, our tiny-but-mighty crew has managed to place 230 animals into loving homes so far this year (at time of printing) and do some serious skill-building.
Healdsburg staffers have been focused on cross-training to increase efficiencies and help even more animals. They’ve been staying up-to-date on best shelter practices A U G U S T ’ S W A L B R I D G E F I R E filled us with a
sense of déjà vu. It wasn’t that long ago that we were spiriting all of our Healdsburg shelter animals to safety from the Kincade Fire. Even before evacuation warnings were issued, we had a solid plan in place to safely relocate all Healdsburg animals to our Santa Rosa shelter. Our transport van had a full tank of gas and carriers for each animal were stacked at the ready so, when the time came, evacuation went smoothly. Once the evacuation order was downgraded to a warning, we returned to the shelter to clear ash and debris and thoroughly deep-clean so, when the Healdsburg staffers Kelly and Ciara moving animals to safety. warning was finally lifted, we were able to bring the animals back and fill the shelter with sweet fuzzy faces once again. Pet Food Pantry resources were depleted during the fire so we put the word out and within a week we had dozens of donations. The outpouring of love and support from the Healdsburg community was the best “welcome back” we could ask for! 8
and participating in Fear Free certification training too. In another exciting development, our Healdsburg shelter is now taking in healthy, adoptable animals directly from HSSC rescue partners — bypassing the need to go through our Santa Rosa campus and getting them on the path to a forever home quicker! Led by manager Karrie Stewart, a Registered Veterinary Technician, the shelter is set up to treat basic medical conditions, which increases our overall capacity for care. “We can actually do a lot here,” Karrie explains. “We provide intake exams and vaccines, treat ringworm, test for FeLV/ FIV, treat upper respiratory and eye infections, and common intestinal parasites. Our in-house lab equipment enables us to do microscopic cytology for ear and skin infections and run full blood panels. This helps reduce the stress of transporting pets to our Santa Rosa campus for routine care.” Another element integral to the care of our Healdsburg animals? Our volunteers! We are so happy to welcome Bonnie snuggled in the new kitten sling them back with COVID-19 with adoption counselor Kelly. protocols in place and staggered shifts to keep everyone safe. We also are pleased to report that our public training classes have returned to the shelter, adhering to strict safety measures while providing learning opportunities for the community’s pups and their people! H E A L D S B U R G C H A M B E R B U S I N E S S AWA R D S OCTOBER 2020
We were honored to be awarded “Most Creative Virtual Experience” for our Wags, Whiskers & WiFi virtual gala! Thank you Healdsburg!
HSSC VETERINARY SERVICES
Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 BY DR. LABRECQUE
There’s an emerging infectious disease in rabbits working its way across the country — Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2). This virus affects both wild and domestic rabbits and has been found to be present in several western states, including California, as of early 2020. The disease is highly contagious and causes necrotizing hepatitis, internal bleeding and death. RHDV2 is not transmissible to other animals or humans. There is currently no vaccine for RHDV2 available in the U.S., but vaccines are available in Europe and Canada and can be purchased with a special waiver. HSSC has teamed up with the House Rabbit Society to purchase vaccines in bulk in order to vaccinate rabbits who come into our care. We have also put new protocols in
place to further protect our shelter bunnies. A quarantine period of 18 days is now required for any stray or unvaccinated rabbit we take in, and full PPE is required for staff and volunteers who care for rabbits in quarantine. Because of the potential spread from wild rabbits, HSSC now recommends that pet rabbits be kept strictly indoors. The virus is very hardy and can live for months in the environment. It’s shed in the urine and feces of infected rabbits and can be spread by fleas, flies, and mosquitoes, as well as birds, rodents, and other animals that come in contact with an infected rabbit. Lori Bazan, a longtime HSSC rabbit volunteer and foster, implements extra safety measures in her home bunny care routine — including mitigating contamination risk by feeding her rabbits clean, non-foraged
Shelter bunnies are relying on us to keep them safe!
greens and asking family and guests to remove outdoor shoes before entering the house. For more information on RHDV2, please visit: rabbit.org/rhdv
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HSSC VETERINARY SERVICES
Rising Up And Catching Up! S PAY/ N E U T E R C L I N I C U P D AT E S
At HSSC, we remain committed to providing affordable access to spay/neuter services in our community — even in spite of 2020’s pandemic curveballs! Not only does this compassionate commitment reduce the number of homeless pets entering our local shelters each year, it protects pets from serious future illnesses such as uterine infections and breast, uterine and testicular cancers. This year, temporary closure of our weekly clinics due to Surgeon General pandemic guidelines — and then
reopening with new social distancing safety measures — resulted in a backlog of over 500 pets waiting to be spayed or neutered! But our nimble team persevered. They took advantage of the downtime to make renovations in the surgery prep and treatment areas to expand workspace, create one-way workflow and make social distancing easier. They also implemented new sanitation and disinfection guidelines. With the clinic now fully re-opened, the staff is working diligently to keep clients safe by conducting check-ins and discharges at curbside by appointment, wearing PPE, including gloves and (fashionable!) facemasks at all times. This fall they’ve been hard at work whittling down the waitlist (currently, they’ve got it down to about 120!) and ramping up as safely as possible to return to a high-volume schedule. We are deeply grateful for the support of Community Foundation of Sonoma County, the Ted and Joyce Picco Endowment Fund and YOU for making all this possible! Your donations help us ensure that every pet is safe, wanted and loved. Would you like to add your support? Please visit humanesocietysoco.org/donate and select Spay/ Neuter from the drop-down menu. Thank you!
Spaying and neutering saves lives! Photo by Labs & Co.
Weekend Wellness Clinics As you know, our CVC focuses on providing urgent and emergent veterinary care to pets in our community, and refers requests for basic, non-urgent wellness care to other low-cost local providers. Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic and Shelter-in-Place ordinance, lowcost routine wellness care has not been readily available in our area. To help out pets during this challenging time, we teamed up with our good friends at Dogwood Animal Rescue Project to put on two safely distanced wellness clinics in the parking lot of our Santa Rosa campus this past August and September.
Stepping up to meet community demand.
tick preventatives, heartworm tests and prevention, and microchipping. All together, we helped over 131 animals!
At each clinic we were able to provide basic wellness services, including exams, vaccines, deworming, flea and
Thank you, Dogwood Animal Rescue, for partnering with us for such important and needed outreach to our community and their pets!
Thank You DR.
He recently made a generous donation, establishing the “Pete’s Caboose” fund to match client co-pays and help our CVC cover costs in the near-term.
HENRIKSEN!
A highly revered, long-time local veterinarian, Dr. Peter Henriksen, was one of the earliest supporters of our Community Veterinary Clinic. 10
We are moved and inspired by Dr. Pete’s own career of kindness and service. His support for our work at the CVC surely suggests we are headed in the right direction.
HSSC VETERINARY SERVICES
Healing Pets + Relieving Worry OUR CVC’S RIPPLE EFFECT !
In a year marked by pandemic and fires, frayed nerves and uncertainty, we are fortunate to find reminders of kindness and hope each day at HSSC. Our work not only connects us to the wellspring of joy that animals give so freely, it connects us to a diverse and compassionate community of individuals united by a common thread: a commitment to ensuring animals are safe and loved. At our Community Veterinary Clinic, we see this commitment in each one of our clients. We see the moments of tenderness they share with their pets. We see the worry they have when their pet is in pain and they can’t afford vet care. We see their relief when they find out we can help. In these times of stress and isolation, as the demand for our CVC’s services continues to exceed our capacity and our team is stretched thin, CVC veterinarian, Dr. Ada Norris and her crew inspire us with their remarkable grace under pressure. They know that — in addition to providing critical, high-quality veterinary care for pets — a big part of their job is providing a caring presence for pet owners. Our CVC clients appreciate their calm, can-do approach and we do too! If you could use a little calm right about now, we invite you to take a moment and let some of these sweet CVC stories soak in.
Dr. Ada and her team work hard to minimize anxiety for patients, using a “Fear Free” approach to keep everyone calm and comfortable. Pete was shy to come out of his carrier when he first arrived for his appointment, so they let him take his time and check out his surroundings. He didn’t appreciate being picked up and put on the exam table, so they did his exam on the bench. When it was time for his ultrasound, Pete climbed onto Dr. Ada’s lap in the perfect position for the procedure. He seemed to enjoy the process, stayed still, and alternated between looking around and snuggling his head into the crook of Dr. Ada’s arm. His people were happy to hear how this low-stress approach helped Pete feel relaxed and safe.
Tex is a pet duck who lives with a gaggle of lady ducks on a small hobby farm. His owners were very worried when he seemed to be experiencing a problem that is quite common in male ducks — a phallus prolapse. Taking Tex to an exotics veterinary specialist was out of reach financially for his family and they could not find a small animal veterinarian willing to see their beloved duck. They called our CVC to see if we could help. Luckily, before coming to HSSC, Dr. Ada worked at a mixed animal practice in rural Oregon where she treated ducks with Tex’s condition. We were able to get him in for a corrective procedure the very next day.
Papo and Blackie’s family always make sure these two cuties are dressed to impress their friends at the CVC! Papo was one of our first patients when we opened in 2019. He came to have his allergies and skin issues evaluated, and Blackie came to see us for dental care. Since their initial visits, they have both received dental procedures and were neutered through our low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic. Their family is so grateful for the subsidized care that helps them keep their beloved duo healthy and pain-free.
This year, our CVC gratefully received support from PetSmart Charities! Their generous grant, and your contributions, are crucial in sustaining our ability to provide services to low- to no-income pet owners in our community. Be a part of this circle of kindness by visiting humanesocietysoco.org/donate and selecting Community Veterinary Clinic. Thank you! 11
N O R T H B AY P E T S
Humane Education Program Updates
Building a more humane future, one compassionate connection at a time!
AFTERNOONS ON THE FARM
A N I M A L A S S I ST E D T H E R A PY ( A AT ) ZO O M VI S I TS
In partnership with Forget Me Not Farm, we are conducting Afternoons on the Farm. Small groups enjoy fresh air, gardening, bonding with farm animals and igniting all the senses that don’t get utilized as much during distance learning!
Our volunteer AAT teams have been “zooming” with classrooms at Spring Creek Elementary School. Kids learn how important AAT is in medical, hospice, school, library and nursing home settings. They love seeing dogs doing tricks, seeking out hidden treats or just cuddling and they always have lots of questions!
WINTER CAMPS
Making new friends and learning so much!
Campers will read to shelter cats, learn from HSSC veterinarians, pet reptiles, learn how to approach (or not!) an unfamiliar dog, visit Forget Me Not Farm, plus many other fun activities! Our camps follow all CDC guidelines while allowing campers to have hands-on animal experiences and go behind the scenes at HSSC.
ACADEMIC COMMUNITY SERVICE
Students love completing academic community service remotely with HSSC! Whether creating dog treats, cat scratchers or online fundraisers, students are learning that helping animals can be done from anywhere!
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M E E T KAT H Y PECS A R
Our new Humane Educator, Kathy, is thrilled to be working with her two favorite populations — kids and animals! With a strong background in education, Kathy is making sure our youth programs are robust and adaptive. In this era of distance learning and increased screen time, her primary focus has been on bringing a sense of normalcy and the healing power of animals to our community’s kids!
Kathy Pecsar, HSSC Humane Educator.
For information on HSSC’s Winter Camps and other youth programs, please visit: humanesocietysoco.org/ humane-education-camps
N O R T H B AY P E T S
Turning A Pivot Into A Pirouette "
H S S C VO LU N T E E R PR O G R A M U PDAT E S BY KAT I E M C H U G H
IN MEMORIAM
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KAREN DUTTON DAVI D L E E • BELOVED HSSC VOLUNTEERS
Early in the pandemic we made the decision to close our shelters to the public and to pause volunteer activity until it felt safe to bring some volunteers back. Our heroic band of volunteers immediately stepped up to take on a variety of tasks that could be done remotely. When our dryers broke, they did laundry for us. They made dog treats for our shelter dogs and enrichment toys for the cats. They retrofit lab coats to be used as PPE with our ringworm kitties. They delivered fresh chicken for our picky eaters. They helped with our CVC outdoor wellness clinics. Our Animal Assisted Therapy volunteers conducted Zoom sessions with local schools, which have been a big hit! And they continue to do it all as response to the pandemic continues. Although we’re limited in how many people can be onsite at one time, we’ve been able to slowly bring back a few volunteers! For those returning, there are new protocols to adhere to. Everyone completes a wellness self-check prior to all shifts. And of course, there are masks, 6-foot distancing and lots of handwashing. We’ve even started no-touch dog walking where a dog is handed off to a volunteer who doesn’t enter the shelter at all! The graceful resilience and willingness of our volunteer team to adapt to changing needs is a great reminder: you can pivot, or you can pirouette. We can’t wait to have all of our volunteers dancing back to the shelter as soon as possible!
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Our Amazing ACTs! NOT ALL SUPERHEROES WEAR CAPES…
... sometimes they sport waterproof boots and HSSC hoodies! From sunrise to sundown, you might spot our dynamic Animal Care Technicians (ACTs) in action — they’re the ones speeding by faster than an industrial strength spray ’n vac… Theirs are the first faces our shelter pets see each Our superhero ACTs taking a well-deserved break: Fauna, Elise, Ali, Megan, Evelyn, Paris, Micki, Beth and Chelsea! morning as they facilitate first have been stepping up their superpowers by learning potty breaks of the day and in-room breakfast deliveries. how to administer basic daily medications to the animals From there it’s go, go, go! Adhering to the gold standard who require them. Not only does this help the animals, it of sanitation protocols, they make sure our animals’ supports our shelter medical team! environments are fresh, clean and comfortable. This involves rigorous mopping, scrubbing and, in general, This past summer, some of our courageous crew went to tons of tidying up. In between all the grime fighting, our Butte County to help out at a temporary animal shelter sensational squad provides our pets with plenty of cozy set up for fire relief efforts there. (This paved the way for bedding, fresh water and lots of love throughout the day. our intake team to help our friends at Northwest SPCA The busy doesn’t stop until after evening walksies and in Oroville load up our transport van with 30 shelter pets supper service. to make more room for fire-affected animals!) Can you tell we’re big fans of our ACTs? We are so proud of these Beyond leaping tall litterboxes in a single bound, our ACTs hardworking humane heroes!
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Bequests
M AY – O CTO B E R 2 0 2 0
BARBARA BAUMGARDNER 2016 REVOCABLE TRUST BETTY LEE CHEANEY 1993 TRUST E S TAT E O F R O B E R T C H I A R A EVERETT GREGORY 1995 TRUST E S TAT E O F A D A L E E H A R N DEANNA JIMOSSE G E O R G E P. M E R R I L L THE SURASKY REVOCABLE TRUST E S TAT E O F J E R I T H AY E R R O S E V I V I A N I E S TAT E BARBARA K. VON TILLOW REVOCABLE TRUST HONEY WEBB DUDLEY T H E W I L L I S FA M I LY R E V O C A B L E I N T E R V I V O S T R U S T
Foster Program Updates In the best of times, our foster volunteers help us expand our lifesaving capacity by opening their homes to animals in need of extra TLC. And, during the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, their compassionate commitment has made a crucial difference to the animals! If 2020 has taught us anything, it is to “expect the unexpected.” An unexpected outcome of Kitten Season this spring and summer was a decrease in the number of sick, orphaned kittens brought to us by good Samaritans. One reason could be that, due to local shelter-in-place mandates and temporary closure of parks and open spaces, more kittens stayed with their mamas longer. In spite of this, there were still plenty of fragile bottle babies needing care — and lots of other animals too! Ashley Armstrong, HSSC’s Foster Program Manager, tells us, “from January through mid-October, we fostered out 340 animals to about 120 different foster families. These included medical cases, orphaned neonates and animals who just needed a break from shelter life.” “Many of our foster families found themselves with extra time and could jump right in and start fostering,” Ashley shares. “This was especially important at the beginning of the pandemic when onsite staff was limited and volunteers weren’t able to come into the shelter. I don’t think any animal in our care knew anything was different thanks to our wonderful fosters!”
Foster kitten Bruce in his home away from home.
We are so grateful for our incredibly dedicated network of foster volunteers who are there for the animals, through thick and thin! 15
Humane Society of Sonoma County 5345 Hwy 12 West Santa Rosa, CA 95407
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5345 Hwy 12 West | Santa Rosa, CA 95407 | 707.542.0882 555 Westside Road | Healdsburg, CA 95448 | 707.431.3386 www.HumaneSocietySoCo.org The Humane Society of Sonoma County does not receive funding from national organizations such as HSUS or ASPCA. We depend on donations from our local community. North Bay Pets is a publication of the Humane Society of Sonoma County. © 2020 | All rights reserved.
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