FREE
WINTER 2021 | VOL . 34 | NO. 2
Hoppy
Holidays! Q&A with HSSC’s New Executive Director Lindsay McCall
p 10-11
Positively, Purr-fectly Adoptable Cats
p 4-5
THANK YOU LEADERS OF THE PACK! Our award-winning 2021 Wags, Whiskers & Wine annual gala was made possible by the compassion and generosity of these fabulous sponsors!
In 1974, the Jackson family bought a Sonoma County vineyard, 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. A huge HSSC THANK YOU to our dear friends at Kendall-Jackson Winery for sponsoring our award-winning Wags, Whiskers & WiFi 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!
Johnny Drake and Alain-Martin Pierret have consistently rated in the top 10% of all real estate agents in Sonoma County. Johnny brings his experience as a heart-centered business owner, a driven entrepreneur, and a talented marketer to his real estate career. His attention to detail and level of transparency helps him guide clients through the intricacies of buying and selling a home. As a regular volunteer and charitable donor in the Sonoma County community, Johnny supports many causes. They include; Canine Companions, Humane Society of Sonoma County, Redwood Empire Food Bank, and Sonoma County High School Athletics and Little League and is the former Executive Vice President of the Volunteer Center Board of Directors. Alain’s network of friends and colleagues is vast; if you walk with him across Healdsburg’s town square, you’ll be stopped repeatedly by people wanting to chat with the area’s unofficial “French Ambassador”.
Betty Ann Sutton of Mr. Ryder and Company is a longtime friend of the Humane Society of Sonoma County, she’s been a sponsor of HSSC for over 20 years and we were so honored to have her sponsorship of our virtual event this year! 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 many years. 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!
Since 1988, Oliver’s Market has been proud to serve Sonoma County, partnering with local vendors and local charities whenever possible, because they believe this improves and strengthens the fabric of our community for everyone. They have supported Humane Society of Sonoma County for many years, directly and through customer support via our Oliver’s Market Community Card. “We value the important work HSSC does day in and day out to improve the lives of countless animals - and people - in our community.” Oliver’s Market, thank you for your support of our mission. And thank you for all the ways you give back!
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE! We can’t wait to see you at our next Wags, Whiskers & Wine gala event hosted by Kendall Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens, on August 5, 2022!
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
How do you truly thank your heroes? How do you let them know they are seen, and they fuel your inspiration? The past two years have been full of uncertainty, fleeting moments, both good and bad. We have also, at times, experienced feelings of dread for what the future might hold. I for one am hopeful for the times ahead and look to my heroes for inspiration. I want to say to the animals: You are brave, and we see you. On any given day we witness your change, you take one step further than the day before. It is you that inspires and impresses us. If you can do it, so can we! Thank you to the kitten who is fearful when coming in our doors. Thank you for teaching us that joy can be found in any moment and that your true nature will help you grow to be strong and fierce no matter the obstacles you face. You have taught us to find joy in simple things. Thank you for letting us watch you blossom every day. Thank you to the dog that has not yet known the true meaning of home. You were destined to be part of a family, and you don’t let your past define your future. You teach us the value of the human animal bond, and we both strive to do better for one another. You teach us with your ability to experience trust, to form a bond, and you prove to us all that we can do more with our ‘pack’ by our side.
NORTH BAY PETS INSIDE
Positively, Purr-fectly Adoptable Cats
p 4-5
Happy Tails
p 6-7
Healdsburg News p 8-9 Fostering Love
p9
Q&A with Lindsay McCall
p 10-11
CVC Program Updates
p 12-13
Humane Education
p 14
Volunteers Everyday
p 15
Bequests p 15
The Humane Society of Sonoma County — ensuring every animal receives protection, compassion, love and care. We are a locally-founded, locally-funded nonprofit organization supported through donations from our community. TAX ID# 94-6001315
Thank you to the young people of our community for reminding us that our work is inspiring future generations to support the work we do, as generations before us have done. You donate your allowance, you fundraise in your neighborhood, you teach your classmates about animal welfare. You will be us in years to come. Thank you to the volunteers who join us. In every way possible you help us in this mission. Your dedication is awe inspiring. You allow us to do this work on a scale that is only sustainable with your help. You are a true part of our team. Thank you to the staff of HSSC. You work tirelessly to better the lives of animals. You are unflappable, you are brave and you make this world a better place. And thank you to each person reading this. You have touched our organization in a way that is priceless. You bring animals into your home. You donate. You make. You volunteer. You share your heart and soul with us. You are all heroes. You are the reason everyone here at HSSC keeps taking that next step forward. You are the reason our many other supporters keep taking that next step forward. You show us the true meaning of resilience, and remind us to be like our heroes each day. We will continue to show our deep gratitude for you by working in your honor. All of this is for you.
North Bay Pets is a publication of the Humane Society of Sonoma County.
Content Writer/Editor
Contributors
Signe Ross-Villemaire
Katie McHugh Kelly Olsen
Graphic Design
Contributing Photographers
Cover Photograph
Julie Compton
Darby Pierce
Darby Pierce Michelle Teruel
On the Cover Did you know HSSC has adopted more than 30 rabbits into loving homes this year? Cover model Monica, a sweetly sensitive young New Zealand mix, spent her formative months in a quiet foster home and in an HSSC staffer’s office! She is now ready to hop into her quiet forever home of her own! Looking for somebunny to love? Please visit https://bit.ly/30fiR2M to see our adoptable house rabbits!
Lindsay McCall, Executive Director
Kathy Pecsar
Sandra Versteegh
FELV+ PING PING WAITING FOR HER FUREVER HOME
POSITIVELY, PURR-FECTLY ADOPTABLE CATS For 90 years, HSSC has been helping homeless animals not only survive but thrive! We believe that every pet deserves to be met with love and hope, wherever they are in life, whatever their unique needs may be. Not just the “perfectly healthy” ones, but the “perfectly imperfect” ones with untreatable conditions too! Cats with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) and Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) fall into the latter category. Though both viruses can compromise a cat’s immune system, leaving them vulnerable to secondary infections, they are spread in different ways: FIV is primarily spread from cat to cat through fighting and bite wounds. FeLV, considered to be more contagious and aggressive, is most commonly transmitted from cat to cat through direct contact, mutual grooming and through sharing litter boxes or food and water bowls. Both viruses affect only cats and cannot be spread to humans or other animals. While there are no known cures for either, the good news is that infected cats can live full, happy lives. “FeLV-positive cats typically have a shortened lifespan but FIV-positive cats can live a normal lifespan without ever becoming symptomatic,” explains Lisa Labrecque, DVM and HSSC’s Director of Veterinary Services. 4
Thankfully, in the animal welfare community, FIV and FeLV are no longer considered reasons to euthanize otherwise healthy cats. While it is becoming less common for shelters to euthanize cats with FIV and FeLV, many overcrowded shelters still do when they exceed their capacity and exhaust all other options. Thanks to your support of our lifesaving mission, we’re able to take in cats who might otherwise face euthanasia due to their positive status. “We frequently receive requests from our shelter partners, as well as our local pet owner community, needing assistance with FIV+ and FeLV+ cats and kittens,” HSSC’s Admissions & Animal Care Program Manager Anna Harrison explains. “Or sometimes rescues are just seeking a new pool of adopters for FIV- or FeLV-postive cats that haven’t been getting enough interest.” Each day we see firsthand how much love these cats have to give and we work hard to ensure they get that love reciprocated in forever homes. “We commit considerable resources to help these positive cats be as healthy as they can be,” says Dr. Labrecque. For example, “we sometimes perform extensive dental surgeries - including full mouth extractions for FIV+ cats with severe dental disease and stomatitis (severe oral inflammation), conditions that are often very painful and could cause a decreased appetite.”
Fergus, Cuervo, Harrison Ford and Sterling were a group of FIV+ cats who came to us from another shelter in need of a little extra medical care before they were ready to be adopted. In addition to dental procedures, this group was treated for chronic rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity). We are thrilled to report that three of these sweet fellows have found loving adopters! Sterling is still looking for a place to call home, so if you have room in your heart (and on your lap!) for this playful, affectionate cat, give us a call! What might an FIV+ cat’s forever home look like? HSSC Feline Behavior Program Manager Saffron Williams says, “because FIV isn’t spread through contaminated surfaces or casual contact, there’s really no reason to be fearful that an FIV-positive cat is going to infect a non-FIV+ cat in the home.” She does emphasize the importance of proper introductions and maintaining peaceful co-existence. “Whether a cat is FIV+ or not, you of course don’t want bad fighting amongst your cats.” She goes on to say that bringing home an FIV+ cat “doesn’t require any special practices, other than keeping them indoors only and promptly taking them to the vet if they fall ill, which I recommend for any cat regardless of FIV status.”
“
FIV-positive cats can live a normal lifespan without ever becoming symptomatic Lisa Labrecque DVM and HSSC’s Director of Veterinary Services
Adopting cats with FeLV comes with a similar set of recommendations, with some notable considerations: “FeLV+ cats should live only with other FeLV+ cats due to the way the virus is spread,” Saffron advises. She also recommends a higher level of vigilance for medical issues. As with any cat she says, “it’s important to help them live life to the fullest! Give them tons of enrichment, playtime, snuggles – just appreciate every moment you have with these special guys.” We currently have three FeLV+ cats available for adoption. Cece, Benjamin and Ping Ping were surrendered to us via our Community Veterinary Clinic after they were brought in for euthanasia. We knew they were worth saving. We are hopeful an “angel adopter” will come forward and bring one (or two or three!) of these playful special sweeties home. “While they are healthy, they will want to do everything a ‘normal’ cat would,” Saffron shares. “An FeLV+ cat with five years to live deserves to be just as well-loved as a non-FeLV+ cat with 20 years to live.” We could not agree more!
FIV+ STERLING LOOKING FOR
This year, our shelter medical program gratefully received support from Petco Love! Their generous grant – and your contributions – to our Angels Fund directly help homeless animals who need medical care on their path to a loving new home. To make your gift, please visit humanesocietysoco.org/ donate and select Angels Fund from the drop-down menu. Thank you for making our lifesaving work possible!
5
HAPPY L I L L Y
LILLY Lilly was transferred to us from our friends at Sonoma County Animal Services. After spending almost a year in their care, it was decided to give her a fresh start at HSSC! She waited patiently for 6 months to find her forever home. Our amazing rabbit care volunteers Chris and Lori, who have years of experience working with our bunnies, had been in love with Lilly from day one. Over time it became clear that the right choice was for them to scoop her up and take her home! She landed a very wonderful family, just perfect for our Lilly! When asked how Lilly is doing, Chris and Lori tell us, “Lilly is now getting four-star salad plates every day in her new home. Afternoons find her stretched out on her floral carpet dreaming about carrots and basil. She also enjoys watching miniseries while getting a nice long backrub in the evenings!”
ROONEY
ROONEY
Rooney arrived at our shelter a little nervous but 100% sweet. Everyone really liked this senior boy for his delicately affectionate personality. Since Rooney was so shy, our staff and volunteers moved slowly to gain his trust. Once he became more comfortable with us he would show off his sweet, soft and soulful side. After only a few weeks in our care, he found his forever home. His new family tells us, “We adopted him from your Santa Rosa shelter on August 7th. He is such a sweet boy and follows us all around the house. He now has two doggie sisters and one doggie brother, and they get along great. Rooney is still very cautious and shy, but he is definitely settling in more every day and we think he is realizing that he is home. He is really a great addition to our family of senior dogs and we wanted to thank you for the quick and smooth adoption process. Everyone was super nice.”
PIPPIN (NOW DOC PIPPIN) Pippin was found as a stray walking the streets of Healdsburg. At about 11 years old and weighing in at less than 5lbs., this teeny tiny Yorkshire Terrier mix quickly became a Healdsburg Shelter favorite. Once he was available for adoption, it was only a couple of days before he got scooped up into the arms of his new best friend, Holli. She tells us, “The Humane Society of Sonoma County has definitely made my world a little bit brighter, I think Doc Pippin’s as well! I’ve worked with the elderly quite a few years, so when I saw that there was an 11-year-old lil’ guy at the Healdsburg Shelter, I thought he and I should meet! From the moment I got down on to his level, all 6 inches of him, it was amoré! He had an itch, I happened to scratch it and our adventure began! Pippin, named by staff at HSSC, was perfect for him! With his looney hair Doc was added! (Back to the Future) Doc Pippin enjoys: sunset drives and letting most know he’s tiny but mighty! He enjoys his snack and has the best potty manners! Most of all he and I have become family, for that I am appreciative!” 6
PIPPIN
F E R G U S
QUEENIE
FERGUS (NOW FERGI) Fergus was transferred to us from the City of Stockton. We treated this FIV+ senior cat for chronic rhinitis, an ear infection and severe dental disease – this dear boy needed all of his teeth extracted! But he never let those issues get him down, he was always a super affectionate guy who melted our hearts left and right. Fergus waited patiently for the right adopter, and when they came along it was love at first sight! His adopters tell us, “Fergus (or Fergi, as he is known to us) couldn’t be any more perfect! He has adjusted well to our routines and we’ve perfectly incorporated him into ours. From early mornings to late nights Fergus mostly spends his time ‘model napping’! Which is code for ‘being the cutest while getting the best rest’! When he’s not doing that, he’s giving us pure love and affection! We couldn’t be happier to have found Fergus and give him his forever home. He’s meowing ‘hello’ to you guys now!” Read more about FIV+ cats like Fergus on pages 4-5.
QUEENIE (NOW TOPH) This gorgeous girl came to us as an owner surrender. She was not getting along with the resident cat, so after trying to re-home her on their own, her owners brought her to HSSC! Because Queenie is deaf, we knew we would need to find very special adopters to give her just the right home environment – safe, stable, predictable and full of love! And soon enough those special adopters found her! They tell us, “We adopted Toph (previously named Queenie) from the Humane Society of Sonoma County and we love her! She’s a 4-year-old lab who is deaf, she’s also very smart and sweet which is why we affectionately call her Toffee, Toph for short! We’ve been training her to heel and walk by our side and she’s picked it up very quickly. We feel so lucky to have found her and we think she feels likewise!”
LUCINDA
LUCINDA
Lucinda was found as a stray in the City of Healdsburg. This adorable kitten came to us unsocialized - she was afraid of people and her new environment. Our dedicated Healdsburg staff and volunteers worked on socializing her through playing, petting and feeding. Over time she became more comfortable and was made available for adoption! Her adopter sent us this wonderful update shortly after bringing her home: “Hi all! I adopted a kitten named Lucinda a couple weeks ago, who was under-socialized. For the first week she was scared of people and hid all the time, and never let me hold her. Now, only a couple weeks later she is an absolute cuddle bug! Her favorites are ear scratches and big hugs. I just wanted to let you guys know that she is doing super well and is getting more comfortable with people every day.”
Find your own happy tail at www.humanesocietysoco.org/adopt/ 7
HEALDSBURG NEWS HOPE, HEALING & THE POWER OF MICROCHIPS! The one-year anniversary of the Walbridge Fire brought a message of hope and healing to the Healdsburg Shelter in the form of a small cat. This past August, a Healdsburg local discovered that a lost cat had wandered up to her home. The kind woman took the cat in and began asking around to see if any of her neighbors knew the sweet kitty. After she felt she’d done all she could to try to find the cat’s owner, she brought her to our Healdsburg Shelter. Our team took a quick scan and discovered she was microchipped! We contacted the microchip company and learned that the cat’s name was Olivia and they gave us her owner’s contact information. When we called Don to let him know we had Olivia, he was beyond excited. He
came right in to pick her up and that’s when a great redemption story turned into an incredible one. Don lives on the outskirts of Healdsburg and lost his home in the Walbridge Fire last year. Sadly, during the evacuations, he was not able to catch some of his cats before being forced to leave. His property was completely destroyed, but all but one of the cats returned safe and sound. When Olivia never came back, Don and his family assumed she had perished in the fire. There wasn’t a single sighting of her until almost a year later when she was found just a mile and a half away. Now, thanks to her microchip and the kindness of strangers, Olivia is back home where she belongs.
MADE IN THE SHADE! The canines in our care (and our staff and volunteer dog walkers!) enjoyed cool comfort throughout the dog days of summer and autumn thanks to the installation of new shade sails in our outdoor dog play areas! Our play yards weren’t getting any shade from surrounding trees but thanks to a generous donor, we were able to install a central pole to attach shade sails at varying heights and angles to provide shade throughout the day. The son of one our beloved volunteers funded the project in memory of his mom, Patricia Ferrand, and her beloved dog Daisy.
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF HSSC FRIEND CAROLINE MARKER A dear friend to the animals and a pillar of our community. Always willing to lend a hand, your dedication and commitment helped us build bridges, build a shelter and heal hearts. We are proud to announce the dedication of the Caroline Marker Wing to help us carry on her memory today and forever.
ACADEMY OF DOG - HEALDSBURG Looking for fun activities that will help build skills and enhance the bond you share with your dog? May we suggest a training class? HSSC’s Academy of Dog program is pleased to offer pup-ular electives at our Healdsburg Shelter’s Community Room, including Reactive Rover and K9 Nose Work! Please visit: humanesocietysoco.org/academy-of-dog/ for more information.
OTHER NEWS FROM THE HEALDSBURG SHELTER Whether in fire season or beyond, our Healdsburg team has well-honed disaster protocols in place for keeping our animals safe. They also continue to advance daily best care practices that are having a big impact on our overall lifesaving mission. So far this year (at the time of printing), our Healdsburg Shelter has... •
placed over 282 animals into loving homes
•
transferred in over 179 animals directly from overcrowded regional shelters
•
provided safe haven and positive outcomes for over 147 stray animals, (like Olivia!)
•
treated over 25 kittens and adult cats for ringworm, a highly contagious yet treatable condition that other shelters often don’t have space or time to treat
HAPPY HOWL-O-WEEN After being postponed for the last two years due to fires and the pandemic, we were thrilled to once again be able to host Healdsburg’s beloved HowlO-Ween Pet Parade this past October! People and pets had a blast and we were cheered by the sight of adorable dogs (and two guinea pigs!) strutting their stuff in the costume contest! Local businesses (Costeaux French Bakery, Fideaux, Hotel Healdsburg, Debbie’s Boutique, Rodney Strong Vineyards, Black Oak Coffee Roasters, Amy’s Wicked Slush, Montage Hotels & Resorts, Bon Ton Studio and Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau) donated prizes and esteemed judges (Healdsburg Chamber Executive Director Tallia Hart, Council Member David Haegle, Fire Chief Jason Boaz, Erin Morris from Fideaux and Police Chief Matt Jenkins) picked out the winners! Very special thanks to Healdsburg Mayor Evelyn Mitchell for MCing the event and to Big John’s Market for generously sponsored the event!
FOSTERING LOVE OUR FOSTER VOLUNTEERS ARE ESSENTIAL!
WHAT ABOUT KITTENS?
By opening their homes to animals, our foster volunteers directly expand our capacity to care for even more animals. Additionally, the nurturing coziness they offer is a welcome break from the shelter. Even in a facility as nice as ours, with all the individualized care and enrichment we provide, some animals can become stressed over time – especially ones who’ve been waiting longer to find forever homes. So, thank you HSSC fosters! You are an essential part of our lifesaving work and make a meaningful difference for the animals!
“Just as soon as I think ‘kitten season’ is slowing down, we’ve got another group at the front door!” Nicole tells us. “We are fortunate to have such a great foster base to help us care for them.” If you’re interested in fostering bottle baby kittens, puppies, or nursing moms and litters – stay tuned! We are planning some educational workshops for the coming months!
MUST LOVE DOGS!
To learn more about fostering with HSSC, please visit humanesocietysoco.org/volunteer and click on the Foster Parent tab.
We are currently seeking dog fosters. “We’re especially in need of quiet foster homes without any other pets, to give stressed dogs a chance to relax,” Nicole Gonzales, HSSC Foster Program Manager explains. “Long-term fostering is our goal, however weekend and even overnight fostering can be so helpful. Our foster team partners closely with our Canine Behavior and Training team to set our fosters up with a successful management plan for foster dogs in the home.” If you can’t foster, consider becoming a volunteer dog walker and taking shelter dogs on “out-and-abouts” or day trips! 9
Q&A WITH HSSC’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDSAY MCCALL!
Please join us in welcoming Lindsay McCall as HSSC’s new Executive Director! If Lindsay looks familiar to you, it’s because she’s been an integral member of our leadership team since 2016 – first serving as our Director of Animal Care and most recently as our Director of Operations! She succeeds our former Executive Director, Wendy Welling, who stepped down from the role this summer to focus on her family’s business. We are deeply grateful to Wendy for her leadership over the years. Her commitment to the animals and strategic thinking ensured we could sustain our lifesaving mission through wildfires, floods and the Coronavirus pandemic. And, through this time of continued challenges, we are beyond thankful and excited that the torch has been passed to Lindsay! “On behalf of the HSSC Board of Directors,” said Kati Aho, HSSC’s Board President, “we want to thank Wendy for her years of service as our Executive Director. She’s been an outstanding leader bringing insight, consistency and an incredible ability to adapt. She has brought so much to the organization and will be missed. The Board of Directors is very pleased to welcome Lindsay to her new role. Lindsay has a strong background in animal welfare, is forward-thinking and takes on the new role with enthusiasm and knowledge.” We recently asked Lindsay to share her thoughts on where we’ve been and where we’re going, as we continually strive to create an even brighter future for the animals:
Since you first joined HSSC as Director of Animal Care in 2016, you’ve played a key role in progressing so many of HSSC’s lifesaving initiatives. What is your vision for keeping us on the forefront (and beyond!) of responsive animal care?
2022 will be a pivotal year for HSSC! We are recovering from a period in our history that’s given us the chance to improve collaboration as an industry. What started as a means to problem solve during unprecedented times, has resulted in new insights and opportunities. We’ve been lucky enough to have some of the brightest minds in our industry here at HSSC, and this past year has really ignited excitement in every branch of our operation to not only be at the forefront of all things “animal sheltering”, but to be active in leading the way alongside industry leaders. This has included forming groups with other local shelter executives to create a needs-based appraisal of our local community resources. Additionally, we extend this to other working groups whose main goal is to take data driven concepts that have been identified through the last few years and turn them into workable curricula for animal welfare programs.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic changed the animal sheltering world? What lessons have we learned to move forward with?
Enough time has passed since the start of the pandemic that we have seen concrete evidence of positive change! Believe it or not, our fields are seeing the silver lining in being stuck at home. The human-animal bond has been given the highlight it deserves. Many pets and their families benefited from mutual emotional support. As a result, we see people truly embracing that this important bond sustains us when times are tough. We’ve been faced with tough economic times and continue to strive to find ways to ensure our donor dollars are used as wisely and efficiently as possible. This pandemic 10
is not over yet, and we are certainly seeing the impact of strained financial resources – both in our industry and here at the shelter.Yet we know we are in one of the most resilient communities in California and look forward to successfully overcoming any challenges ahead.
Tell us about your pets!
Earlier this year I lost my beloved dog Franki to old age. She has been my north star and driving inspiration since the day I met her. My career focus can be directly linked to the love I have for her and the guide she has been on my path in animal welfare. I also have another dog, Bird. She is a very short-statured bully breed who’s a clown with four legs! She always snorts and waddles around my house with a huge smile on her face. The sound of her wagging tail can often be heard on kitchen cupboard doors and hallway walls. She is just one happy gal! We share our home with an older kitty, GoGo, a very special cat who only has eyes for me.
What keeps you up at night?
Sharing my bed with a snoring dog!
What are you most excited about for the future?
We have so much to be grateful for here at HSSC. I couldn’t be more excited about our team and supporters looking ahead to our bright future. We are keenly focused on the needs of animals and people, in our community and beyond. We have plans to broaden our already strong safety net programs, expanding our services to bring a surrounding, 360-degree approach to pet and owner support. This will include having programs available that very few shelters in the country have. We are excited about our future and look to be a beacon for those seeking assistance, refuge or inspiration.
BECOME A HUMANE PARTNER With your sustaining monthly gift of as little as $10 a month, you can bring comfort, healing, love and joy to our animals all year long. Visit HumaneSocietySoCo.org/donate/ For more information, please contact Priscilla Locke at (707) 577-1911 or plocke@humanesocietysoco.org
Bequests
MAY - OCTOBER 2021 Chester & Gloria Galeazzi Living Trust Gandola Family Trust Virginia M. Terzian Revocable Trust Betty R. Waters Revocable Trust Willis Revocable Inter Vivos Trust 11
CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN COMPASSION AND CARE Lingering Covid restrictions, more time spent in the digital space… in a year when it’s been so easy to feel disconnected, we are cherishing the ways our community is connected through the love we have for our pets! At our Community Veterinary Clinic, we are honored to work with the local pets and families who rely on our supportive services. Our CVC currently has funding to operate two days per week and demand for our services remains high. As we continue to prioritize the most urgent cases and endeavor to reach more of the pets who need us, we have opened up additional slots on additional days to spread appointments throughout the week. As you can imagine, our veterinary team packs a lot of lifesaving veterinary care into each and every one of those visits! Connected to each animal we serve is a person (or persons!) concerned for their pet’s health and wellbeing. Your support for our program helps us function as a resource to these families when they need it most! The following stories from recent cases highlight just a few of the ways our compassionate community joins us in ensuring all pets are safe, loved and well-cared for. Our clinic’s vital role in our community is partially funded by grants, including support from DogsTrust USA, Petco Love, Grey Muzzle Organization and PetSmart Charities, but we need your support to help us meet the ever-increasing demand. Your compassion helps sustain services for pets and their owners in their time of need – and keeps these beloved pets in their homes and out of shelters.
COMMUNITY VETERINARY CLINIC At Humane Society of Sonoma County
Your support saves these precious lives. Thank you!
COSMO: A GOOD SAMARITAN, A MICROCHIP & OUR CVC HELP HIM FIND HIS WAY HOME! When we got a call from a concerned person saying they’d found a cat with a severely injured leg, we immediately agreed to take the cat in and give him medical care. When he arrived, we saw he had a severe compound fracture to his back leg and would need an amputation ASAP. He also had multiple pelvic fractures. We scanned the cat and found a microchip! We immediately called his owners and got quite a surprise - Cosmo had been missing for a year and a half! His owner, LeeAnna, immediately rushed in to see her long lost cat. After discussing his medical needs, she called several vet clinics and quickly discovered the cost of amputation at a regular clinic was prohibitively expensive. Thank goodness for our CVC! They were able to perform Cosmo’s surgery and treatment at a price she could afford. The next morning Cosmo had his surgery and was well enough to go home that evening. When his owners came to pick him up, Dr. Ada outlined the TLC Cosmo would need for his recovery. They asked her for guidance on re-introducing him – as soon as he was well enough - to the best friend he grew up with, a blue-heeler named Dingo. After giving Cosmo quiet time and space to recover, they gradually reintroduced the two best buddies. LeeAnna reports that it’s like Cosmo and Dingo never spent a day apart, they went right back to sharing the same close bond they had before! 12
COSMO GROUCHO: BELOVED COMMUNITY CAT RECEIVES CARE Groucho is an outdoor community cat who lives at a women’s group home and is cared for and dearly loved by its employees and residents . One of her caretakers, Meliea, brought the beautiful Tuxedo cat in for evaluation of a new lesion on her nose. Our CVC team did a cytology screening and diagnosed the lesion as a Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of malignant cancer that can be induced by exposure to sunlight. A procedure called “Curettage and Diathermy” was performed to remove this aggressive cancer, a very effective treatment when the lesion is caught early. We are delighted to report that Groucho’s procedure was successful and this special cat is back to bringing comfort and joy to her circle of dear friends.
ZEN & THE ART OF HIGH-QUALITY, HIGH-VOLUME SPAY/NEUTER We are on track to exceed 2,000 surgeries through our weekly low-cost public spay/ neuter clinics by the end of 2021! We asked HSSC Director of Veterinary Services, Lisa Labrecque, DVM, what is making this year such a success. By the end of 2020, she reminds us, “we’d kicked things into high gear to catch up from temporary pandemic-related closures. We honed curbside drop-off and discharge procedures for clients, enacted new disinfection guidelines and streamlined our surgery suite for enhanced workflow and social distancing.” This year, with those elements in place, our team has been able to focus on getting faster and even more efficient! “We’ve been implementing more HQHVSN (high-quality, high-volume spay neuter) techniques, which apply not only to the surgeon, but the entire team. Each person has a role and, working together, things eventually ‘gel’ into a good flow - a sort of ‘zen’ of HQHVSN surgery!” Dr. Labrecque explains. “With one surgeon and two tables, the techs are able to set up the next patient while the surgeon is finishing on the other table, so all we have to do is open a new surgical pack, change our gloves, and continue with the next surgery.”
SPAY/NEUTER TEAM
“Efficiency like this cannot be taught,” she says. “It takes a dedicated team, excellent clinical skills, lots of practice, and good teamwork to make it happen. I’m very proud of this team for their hard work!” We are deeply grateful for the support of Community Foundation of Sonoma County, the Ted and Joyce Picco Endowment Fund and YOU for making our subsidized services accessible to our community! Your donations help us ensure that every pet is safe, wanted and loved.
Please visit humanesocietysoco.org/donate and select Spay/Neuter from the drop-down menu. Thank you!
PETE’S CABOOSE: LOCAL VETERINARIAN’S GIFT HELPS 70 ANIMALS!
G R O U C H O
Local veterinarian, Dr. Peter Henriksen, has been a highly-respected fixture in the community for many years. He was also an early supporter of our CVC! Last year, he worked with our CVC team to establish a matching fund for client co-pays. His generous donation has really helped keep our clinic chugging along. In its first year (September 2020 – August 2021), the “Pete’s CabooseFund” helped cover the cost of medical care for 39 cats and 31 dogs! Special surgeries covered by this fund included gastric surgeries for dogs to remove foreign bodies, mast cell removal, treatment of feline lower urinary tract disease, dental care, hernia repair, eyelid surgeries, urgent care medical exams and procedures ranging from wound care to heart failure to diagnostics for diabetes and seizures. Thank you Dr. Henriksen!
DR. PETE
HUMANE EDUCATION UPDATES FROM HSSC’S HUMANE EDUCATION PROGRAM by Kathy Pecsar
Our dynamic community of youth animal advocates had a wonderful time learning and using their voices to spread the word about compassion for our four-legged friends this past season! We had two wonderful Afternoon on the Farm classes at the beloved Forget Me Not Farm where kids had the opportunity to enjoy fresh air, farm animals and gardening. Meanwhile, there was a heartwarming amount of community service happening with our teens! We had students from local high schools and Eagle Scout troops completing projects for us, from making redwood picnic tables to putting on huge pet food drives and making much-needed enrichment toys for our shelter animals.
Summer Camp was outstanding! We had so much fun with the campers at both our Santa Rosa and Healdsburg campuses this summer. Our amazing Animal Assisted Therapy teams joined other volunteers and our fantastic staff to teach these caring groups of kids how to take care of animals, translate cat and dog body language, read an x-ray, listen to a cat’s heart and, most of all - more than anything enjoy and love animals! Our Winter Camps are coming up and we are READY for our campers to get to know the Humane Society and how we care for our shelter animals! We’ll make yummy dog treats, cozy cat blankets and of course fun toys for our shelter animals, all while learning about taking care of animals!
For more information, please visit: humanesocietysoco.org/humane-education-camps
14
VOLUNTEERS EVERYDAY by Katie McHugh
One of the fun things about being HSSC’s Volunteer Coordinator is having volunteer appreciation weeks! During these “Weeks of Gratitude” we shower our volunteers with appreciation and love, as well as sugar-rich foods, because we all know sugar is a great way to express love! That said, these days I’m looking for ways to express gratitude - every single day. After all, our volunteers are here and contributing in essential and priceless ways every day. I have been working on implementing a couple of ongoing practices, to showcase the incredible people that comprise our volunteer community. The Volunteer Instagram Site: This Instagram site is focused on celebrating the dedication, compassion, and empathy we see in our volunteers every day. This is where you will see volunteers doing their volunteer things like dog walking, cat cuddling, assisting in the clinic, greeting shelter visitors, playing with their foster animals, or even doing laundry! Follow our incredible volunteers at HSSC’s Volunteer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hssc_volunteers. The Volunteer Spotlight Wall: Each month several volunteers will be featured on the Spotlight Wall. This is a great opportunity for all of us to have a peek into the lives of these incredible humans that give so much of themselves to HSSC. If you are at the shelter, swing by the volunteer area to read some of the fascinating bios on the Volunteer Spotlight Wall. And, as always, when you see an HSSC volunteer – please tell them how wonderful they are for everything they do for the animals!
Our new “Cool Roof” will save us a bundle in utility bills and leak repairs – resources we really need for the animals. Please help us make it happen! Please donate today! humanesocietysoco.org/donate/ PHOTO BY LABS & CO.
Humane Society of Sonoma County 5345 Hwy 12 West Santa Rosa, CA 9540
Non-Profit Organization
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED U.S. Postage PAID HUMANE SOCIETY OF SONOMA COUNTY
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. © 2021 | All rights reserved.
DOGS DO SPEAK,
CARE FOR YOUR PETS
KNOW HOW TO LISTEN
F O R EVE R A N D A LWAYS
BUT ONLY TO THOSE WHO
TODAY AND TOMORROW AND
– ORHAN PAMUK
Learn how to listen at the Academy of Dog! The methods we teach are fun, positive and stress-free for both you and your dog. You and your pup will learn to work together, enhancing communication and strengthening your bond. The classes use science-based techniques, always with an eye to the unique ways that you and your dog learn.
When you create your estate plan or will, please remember to plan for your pets. You can designate family members or friends as their guardians, or designate someone to bring your pets to a shelter or animal welfare organization like HSSC. What peace of mind, knowing your beloved furry family will be cared for. Thank you for thinking of them!
Register online at HumaneSocietySoCo.org/clever
For more information, please contact Priscilla at 707.577.1911
