Seems So Far Away

Forever Home WHEN A SEEMS SO FAR AWAY

GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR PETS WITH SPECIAL MEDICAL & BEHAVIOR NEEDS

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, 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:

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!