Search Results for: adoption

Kirby

As a young mother, Kirby was brought to the local county shelter with her three young babies.

In the short time she was there, the volunteers helped her nurse her young children, fed her, and cared for her. The county shelter was not the ideal place for a mom with three babies. A staff member at the shelter saw the sadness in her eyes and that was when we received the call.

It was the middle of March and it was still cold out; we hadn’t expected kitten season so soon. We were very wrong. East County Animal Shelter had called us, the Valley Humane Society, to tell us about Kirby and her young babies who were just days old. We were ecstatic because it was our first “mom and babies” of the season. This meant that kitten season was finally upon us!

Our Animal Care Manager started calling her foster families and seeing who was interested. We got a quick response from a new foster who wanted to get her feet wet in the kitten fostering world. We knew this family would do a great job and we couldn’t wait to go pick up Kirby and her kids. Shortly after confirming the foster family, our Animal Care Manager drove down to ECAS with a kennel in tote. When she arrived, she met a beautiful brown tabby no older than a year, with three small kittens. There were two brown tabbies and one Siamese.

We were still in our old building at the time and needed to keep them healthy until their foster home arrived. The safest place to hold them was our storage room.

This may sound silly, but they were not at risk of catching anything that may have been floating in the air there. While our Animal Care Manager and myself sat in the storage room with this new mom, we took photos and thought of name ideas.

Sitting next to us in the room was no other than a vacuum cleaner. As silly as it was, we named those kitties after vacuum cleaners. As you already know, the beautiful brown tabby mother was named Kirby. Her three kittens were named Dyson, Hoover, and Bissell.

Kirby and her kids went into foster only a short time after we named them. Their foster family exclaimed that Kirby was quite the talkative cat and loved chatting. Kirby and her babies were in foster for about two months until they could all get spayed and neutered.

Once they were all fixed, they came back into the shelter and were put up for adoption. Bissell, Hoover, and Dyson were all adopted almost immediately. Yet, Kirby stayed behind and nobody noticed her true beauty and kindness.

Our staff members could tell she was getting frustrated with having to live her life in a kennel. Our staff and volunteers were doing everything we could to try and comfort her and assure her that she too would find her forever home shortly.

We had even put her in one of our back rooms and she had the ability to be out all day in this room without having to be kenneled.

Nothing seemed to help, Kirby was very stressed out and we could all tell that all she wanted was a forever home. Then, the time came for us to move out of the old modular and into the brand new facility next door. Kirby was one of the first ones to move into the new Kitty City.

We chose one of the biggest kennels and gave her the comfiest beds. But, even as time passed, she still was unhappy. Our volunteers would sit and talk to her and let her out into our enclosed cat run, hoping this would help her out. The cat run certainly eased her spirits, but she still chose to be grumpy instead of happy.

After about two months of living in Kitty City, I couldn’t handle seeing Kirby so upset anymore. She was so stressed that she had even developed diarrhea and began acting very lethargic. During the day, I took her out of her kennel and brought her up to my desk in the reception area. I made sure she had access to a litter box and food. That was when I fell in love. Kirby’s attitude had totally changed; she just needed somebody to be her “person.”

After two weeks of her spending the daytime in our reception area, I permanently moved her up here. She got to live in the office, making her our “office cat.” Just a few short days after, she perked up and her diarrhea stopped. Kirby was finally happy.

I can definitely say that Kirby is a sassy cat but she means well. She is a typical cat; she will love you on her own terms. But, she will always chat with you and keep you occupied if you are looking for a friend. She has charmed our office staff and volunteers and everybody always asks, “Where is Kirby?”, “How is she doing today?”

We all love her and have taken her under our wings. Sometimes I call her “my own,” but I know I cannot take her and I play the role of a temporary foster mom for her.

I have two alpha female cats at home and neither would be pleased if I brought another alpha cat in. I also just adopted a wild puppy who would frighten Kirby. Nonetheless, I love this cat with all of my heart and it pains me to see her stuck here at the shelter and not in a forever home bonding with her “person.”

Kirby is a delightful cat. When I come in in the morning, she greets me with a head butt and many loud purrs. When I sit at my desk, she jumps up and curls up behind me. Sometimes she will jump on top of my purse and lay there for hours.

Aside from these two locations, she has a kitty castle that she sleeps in. Her kitty castle is one of her favorites! Lastly, our Executive Director’s office has two beautiful windows that Kirby absolutely adores. Kirby enjoys being an indoor kitty, but if you have an enclosed kitty area in your backyard, she would be delighted.

Kirby is a wonderful cat who just needs somebody patient and willing to take the time to get to know her.  She would make an absolutely wonderful feline friend and I promise you she will keep you company by curling up next to you and chatting to you when you engage her. Kirby deserves more than living as an “office cat” and I want to see her find a home sooner rather than later.

Please help me find this beautiful, chatty kitty find a forever home. Kirby will be waiting for you.

If you are interested in Kirby or any other pet at the Valley Humane Society, call 925- 426-8656.

Paws in the Park

We invite you to attend our First Annual Paws in the Park on Sunday, October 2nd from 1-4PM. This walk will be located at Lion’s Wayside Park in downtown Pleasanton.
Paws in the Park is a pledge- driven dog walk and community-wide animal celebration. It will feature agility demonstration, pet and health-themed merchandise and service, music, and dogs available for adoption. Paws in the Park is a fun-filled event for the whole family.
There are three ways that you can participate in our Paws in the PArk dog walk:
1) As an individual walker (with or without a dog!),
2) As part of a Dog Pack, or
3) As part of a Cat Walk
Click HERE to get started!
Once you register online, you will have access to many resources that will help you raise funds for Valley Humane Society including your own web page to post photos and messages to your supporters.
For a list of fundraising tips, click here.
For a copy of the pledge form, click here.
For more information, please contact the Event Chair, Lori at lorijamesrice@yahoo.com
Thank you!

Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon

By: Cheryl Palange

How much is that doggie in the window? This weekend, the answer was “nothing.” Thanks to the generosity of Dave and Cheryl Duffield of http://www.maddiesfund.org/ and http://www.maddiesadoptathon.org who pledged $2 million to save 2,000 pets across more than 40 shelters in a single weekend, we were able to place 88 lucky kittens, cats and dogs in their new forever homes. Last year we placed 56 in two days, which we surpassed by four o’clock on day one this year.

Adoptions were free to families adopting animals during the event. Maddie’s Fund will pay each shelter or rescue group $500 for every dog/cat adopted. And to make sure no pet is left behind; $1000 will be given for every adoption of a senior or treatable pet and $1500 for every adoption of a senior pet with a medical condition. VHS anticipates receiving $45,000 from this year’s event.

The unseasonable June storm didn’t damper our spirits or enthusiasm on what turned out to be an incredible weekend to debut our beautiful, new facility to the public. VHS held adoptions at our new facility as well as at Stoneridge Mall with several other rescue groups. Rescue organizations with kittens, cats and dogs were located in the mall’s center court and proved to be at least as popular as Santa and his elves at the holiday.

The kittens were very popular and were scooped up quickly. Other notable rescues for the weekend include:

  • Phoebe – a senior kitty who was adopted from VHS about 5 years ago, but returned recently after losing her owner to cancer. Roberta lives on her own and had been looking for a kitty to keep her company for quite some time. Congratulations to Phoebe and Roberta… we wish them a lifetime of happiness together! You can read more of Phoebe’s story here.

  • Sarabi and Pumba – Rescued from the county shelter, our “Lion King” 1-year old Calico mom and 7 week old son were adopted together Sunday afternoon. We are always thrilled to see moms adopted, and more so when they get to go home with one of their babies.

  • Rosco – a striking 6-year old purebred Coon Hound who came to us from East County after escaping from his original home one time too many. This handsome guy was a center favorite because of his mellow personality and unmistakable howls. He went home Sunday with the Ricafuente family who pledged to give him plenty of room to roam and use that incredible nose.

  • Apollo- a 4 year old orange tabby who was long overdue for a home. When he was surrendered to us late October, we thought he would get adopted quickly due to his kind demeanor. As time kept moving forward, we were not sure why he was still here. During the Adoptathon, he waited patiently in a cardboard carry away box until his family came Sunday looking for a cat that fit his personality perfectly.

  • Pluto – a shy and sweet 6-month old poodle mix rescued from East County Animal Shelter a few months ago. This little guy was flea infested when we got him, but cleaned up beautifully in the care of our wonderful volunteers. Pluto was adopted by his foster mom, Kathy.

We couldn’t have done it without the nearly 150 volunteers who generously gave of their time to help the weekend run smoothly. Visit our Facebook page by clicking here. From the many greeters, runners, front office helpers, kitty city, doggie drive, adoption processors and everyone else who helped… thank you so much! This weekend would not have been the success it was without all of you.

No Place to Call Home

Phoebe was not ready to come back to the shelter when she did. She had such a perfect life where she was and she had no clue what was happening to her. About four years ago, we rescued a five year old cat named Jellybean from impending euthanasia at a local county shelter. She was all black and was a bit shy. When we rescued her, we did not know what a special cat she would be. As she sat in our adoptable cat room, nobody ever paid any attention to her; instead, visitors went straight to the kittens and the younger, “better” looking cats. The stress of not being in a home caused Jellybean to sit in her kennel and pull out chunks of her hair. Although we gave her some medicine to help her be a bit less stressed, it did not seem to help. One volunteer saw the hurt in Jellybean’s eyes and could not stand it anymore. That day was probably the best day of Jellybean’s life. Volunteer Susan took Jellybean home to a warm, caring, and comforting environment. Her first day at home, Susan renamed her Phoebe as it fit her personality better. Susan was a regular volunteer, which meant that we got updates at the center daily on how she was doing. We loved the stories she told us and listened attentively. Phoebe lived happily and quietly in Susan’s home for almost five years. Her peaceful life changed suddenly one day when Susan was diagnosed with cancer.

All of Susan’s family lived out of state and Phoebe had nowhere to go while her mom was in the hospital. While we waited patiently for Susan’s recovery, Phoebe spent time in an extra office at Valley Humane Society. But, when we needed the office, she would go back and forth between foster homes. Not only was this stressful for her, but it was hard for Susan to know that her kitty was being transferred from home to home. The hair pulling problem quickly started again, and we all just wanted Phoebe to feel better. Every once in a while when Susan was feeling okay, she would go and visit Phoebe wherever she was at. One day, we got the phone call that we had been dreading for so long. After a long battle, Susan had passed away from cancer. This left Phoebe homeless and she never got to say her final goodbyes to her mom. Poor Phoebe was a ten year old kitty with no place to go. We took her back into our adoption program here at the center where she has been for over four months. Just like before, everybody passes her by and goes to look at the young and the playful.

Phoebe is a delightful cat with so much love to give. She greets visitors when they walk into our adoptable cat room and enjoys laying out in the sunshine with a person there talking to her gently or petting her. Although she is ten, that does not mean that she has a short life left. Most cats can live up to twenty years, which means she is only half way done living her life. She would make the perfect addition to your home and would provide you many years of love and comfort. Although we do everything we can here to comfort her, nothing is better than a “fur-ever” home.

The sound of barking dogs echoes through the hallways of Valley Humane Society’s brand new animal adoption and education center. Although the Pleasanton animal welfare organization is still a few weeks away from moving into their new facility, they have taken on the task of assisting with a dog rescue, in cooperation with the Animal Planet Confessions: Animal Hoarding.

Ten mixed-breed dogs ranging in age from three months to four years were removed from a home in the Sacramento area on Monday, April 18 by a team from Valley Humane, with the cooperation of the dogs’ owner. “The owner voluntarily surrendered his dogs,” said Steve Glavan, Valley Humane Society’s Executive Director. “This was not a criminal case, and this individual and his family have taken steps to address this issue with our help.” According to Jereme Watt, producer for the Animal Planet program, “We wanted to work with a no-kill shelter with a strong reputation for animal care and placement and Valley Humane came highly recommended. They were sensitive to the situation, professional, and from watching them work we had the utmost confidence that all the animals would be cared for and find good homes.”

Valley Humane Society will be working with local experts and their own staff to assess the physical and behavioral condition of each of the dogs in the coming days, with the goal of making them available for adoption as they are ready. According to Glavan, “We know that a lot of people have a passion for animals that come out of situations like this. These are special dogs, and some may require patience and love to adjust, but we believe we can find a loving home for every one of them.” Valley Humane Society plans to update the progress of these dogs regularly on their Facebook site, as well as a blog, both of which are accessible from their website,www.valleyhumane.org.

Glavan recognizes that taking on this project will stretch Valley Humane’s resources, but says the opportunity is too important to pass up. “We still need to raise a significant amount of money as we move into our new facility, but this is our mission. We are confident that the community will respond to support this effort, and the work that Valley Humane Society does on a regular basis.” Glavan says that he is not afraid to ask for support. He is asking people to give, and give generously to Valley Humane. “We need financial support, not only to move into our new facility, but to sustain the programs that are so vital to our community.” Local companies, including Murphy’s Paw and Pet Food Express, have already stepped up to provide supplies and volunteers to assist with the care of the rescued dogs.

The story will air on Animal Planet’s new hit series “Confessions: Animal Hoarding.” The series explores stories of people who own more pets then they can care for. The problem of animal hoarding is little understood, but far more common than most people realize. There are over 3000 reported cases a year, and at least ten times that number that go unreported. The series brings families together to voluntarily find humane solutions that work for both pets and people.If you know someone who might be an animal hoarder, you can learn more atwww.animalhoardingproject.com.

To learn how you can contribute directly to the ongoing care of the Valley Humane rescue dogs, or support Valley Humane Society’s ongoing programs, visit their website atwww.valleyhumane.org or call Valley Humane’s office at (925) 426-8656.



https://valleyhumane.org/2011/04/1095/

The Week in Review

A lot has happened this week!
Here were all of the adoptions that occurred in the week of April 8 through April 9: Roman, Spice, Sebastian, Panda & Vancouver
Roman

Roman was adopted to a family of VHS volunteers on the 8th. He now lives with both dogs and cats and is as happy as a clam. He is never without a warm lap to lay in. We hear from the family often, and they rave about how amazing is. We are so happy for this incredible cat and his purrrrfect new home!

Spice

Spice was next to find her forever home. A nice gentleman came in looking for a black kitten and fell in love with Spice. She was her spicy and sassy self as usual, and he was thrilled to be able to take home such an awesome kitty. This cute kitten had been part of a pair, Sugar and Spice. Her sister was adopted within days of becoming available, and we were ecstatic when Spice finally found her forever home.
Sebastian

Sebastian of “The Litter Mermaid” litter found his forever home on Saturday the 9th. A nice family came in and fell completely in love. Sebastian melted their hearts and they swooped him up.

Panda & Vancouver


Panda and Vancouver our two longest standing residents found their forever homes Saturday the 9th! They went home together too which was even better!

The family who adopted them came in looking for two cats who had been here a long time. They fell in love with both!

Lisa


Lisa, the fourth of the “Simpsons” dog litter, was finally adopted today! Her mom Marge, and siblings Maggie and Homer were immediately adopted. Her brother, Bart, is still here at the shelter.

These dogs came from East County Animal Shelter when they were very young and stayed in foster until they could be put up for adoption.

Bart & Teddy

Today was a Dog Adoption Day at Valley Humane!

We adopted out puppy, Bart and dog, Teddy.
Bart was one of the Simpson’s puppies and Teddy was the adorable 5 year old Corgi mix!

What a big day!

We have had a ton of adoptions today.

Masquerade was the first to find a home with ISO volunteer and Dog Foster, Tyla.
Then, Nutella found a home with a single lady who is very active in Hayward. And, Penguin found a home with a family in Brentwood. Then, Ellie went home to a great family in Rio Vista!
What a great day it has been. More pictures and information to come soon!

Martin & Velma

Martin was the first to get adopted today. Many never met Martin- he came to us from Tri City Animal Shelter at the beginning of the month, and immediately went into foster before his neuter appointment. A couple weeks after rescuing him, he was neutered and brought into the shelter. Just thirty minutes after Martin coming in and being put up for adoption, he was adopted! A great couple came in, and fell immediately in love.


They decided to name his D’Jango. I think it’s a perfect name for a cute little dog such as Martin.

Just as this was happening, a young man came in looking for a cat for his young daughter. As he walked in, Velma greeted him and he too, fell in love. You could tell it was meant to be. He went home to get everything set up and came back that afternoon to make it official.


Congratulations Velma and Martin!