We’re all in this together!

Tonka

Plinko

Teddy

As a friend to the animals, you are well aware of the capacity crisis that's been affecting animal shelters across the country as well as those right here in our community. Recently the Press Democrat published an article highlighting the overcrowding crisis that our local partners at Sonoma County Animal Services (SCAS) have been facing.

As a regular reader of our eAnimail, you know that we have been working closely with our local partners to take in animals who are at risk of euthanasia due to lack of space. We are so grateful for our compassionate SCAS cohort. They are working tirelessly for the animals and we value the lifesaving partnership we have with them. Large, young dogs are especially at risk due to the high intake of this population.

Each week we are transferring in as many animals as we can from them, sharing their burden and also their joy every time one is adopted. Of a recent transfer of 9 dogs, 6 have already been adopted into loving homes!

Our partnership means that beautiful dogs like Tonka, Plinko, and Teddy are no longer at risk – they are now soaking up ALL the love and living full, happy lives as treasured family members!

Momma Bear, Hope and Mack are still waiting to find homes!

View Our Adoptables!

Let's Soak Up the Sun!

We know that by increasing our own capacity, we can help even more of the animals who need us! That’s why we are launching a special new campaign that will help us do just that!

Let’s Soak Up the Sun! Help HSSC go solar!

We’re raising $200,000 to put solar panels on our our Highway 12 shelter in Santa Rosa, with the help of our amazing friends at Taylor Energy.

By going solar, we’ll save at least $40,000 a year on our utility bill! The way rates are climbing, our yearly savings could be even higher. And the best part? All those savings will go directly to the animals!

What we can do with an extra $40,000...

Exams for 1200 puppies or kittens
Dental surgeries for 160 animals in need
Spay/Neuter surgeries for 400 animals
X-rays for 160 animals in need
Vaccines for 800 shelter cats
Plus – medical supplies for our clinics, camp scholarships, adoption discounts, pet food pantry supplies, spay/neuter vouchers, and so much more!

Come Soak Up The Sun With Us! Give to our Solar Campaign Today!

Fun Fact: Did you know that about half of the guinea pigs we place into forever homes are adopted from our Healdsburg shelter? Our Cavy-savvy Healdsburg crew currently has six sweet little piggies that they’d love to introduce you to!

Matcha

Tot

Tater

Dale

Papa

Chip

Check them out here

💉March is Pet Vaccination Month! 💉

Did you know we offer free pet vaccines at both our shelter locations?

Thanks to Petco Love, we are able to offer:

Feline HCP: rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia.

Canine DAAP: distemper, adenovirus types 1 & 2, parainfluenza, parvovirus.

It’s not uncommon for our tiny-but-mighty Healdsburg team to help over 25 pets per clinic! We are currently offering these clinics bi-weekly at our Healdsburg shelter. Don’t miss your shot to get your pets vaccinated.

Check out our schedule

Richard the Lionhearted has been up against so much in his young life. He came to us in January from a home where he’d been living with 13 other cats. The shy 7-month old arrived with an upper respiratory infection so severe he required a nebulizer to assist his breathing. He also had mouth lesions, gingivitis and a severe lack of appetite.

While our medical team was treating him for these conditions, he also broke with ringworm. Treatment for ringworm is lengthy and requires isolation due to its highly contagious nature. This could be a socialization setback for any cat - much less a shy one like Richard - if not for our special team of volunteers dedicated to the wellbeing of cats undergoing this intensive treatment. Our fearless crew support our veterinary staff by suiting up in head-to-toe PPE and follow strict safety protocols to assist in lime-sulfur treatments, and deliver companionship, playtime and infinite love for cats under quarantine.

Those working with Richard have been rewarded with purrs, slow blinks, elevator booty demonstrations and mini-muffin-making from this sweet kitty! It’s been a long journey for this young cat, but Richard has shown us that he is indeed lionhearted. As he rounds the corner on his healing journey, we’re excited to find him a home where he’ll be loved for the brave, sensitive cat he is – and blossom into the adult cat he was born to be!

Meet Richard!

News from our Low-cost Spay/Neuter Clinic

Rowdy came to us with an urgent need for neutering to maintain his guardian’s eligibility for HUD housing. During his visit, Rowdy received comprehensive care, including the neuter procedure, all necessary vaccinations, flea treatment, and a nail trim.

We learned that Rowdy’s guardian is battling cancer. Fortunately, assisted by our generous grant from Community Foundation Sonoma County, Rowdy's family could focus on both his and his guardian's health without undue financial strain.

Donate below and select the Spay/Neuter fund from the drop-down menu!

Donate To Spay/Neuter

HSSC’s Website Now Accessible in Multiple Languages!

Last year, we participated in the Maddie’s Fund Open Arms Challenge – a nationwide initiative aimed at helping shelters work toward welcoming and inclusive best practices. Our goal for the challenge was to make our adoption processes easier for our Spanish-speaking community. We were awarded a grant for our efforts which has enabled us to expand our efforts even further! This month, we are excited to launch a new feature on our website that makes content accessible to non-English speaking users! Using an easy toggle feature, visitors to our site can now view content instantly in 104 different languages – including Spanish, Chinese, Lao, Somali, Vietnamese, Samoan and Khmer – which are among the languages most commonly spoken in Sonoma County.

Try it out!

Our bilingual staff also work diligently each day to ensure all our public facing programs and services are welcoming and easily accessible for our Spanish-speaking community - in person, in printed documents, over the phone and at offsite events.

PD Best of Sonoma County 2024

It's that exciting time of the year once again! The Press Democrat Best Of Sonoma County nominations have officially opened, and we would greatly appreciate your support. We would love to be nominated in these categories:

Real Life > Veterinarian > Community Vet Clinic

Uniquely Sonoma > Nonprofit and Summer Camp > HSSC

Your participation means the world to us and to the animals!

Thank You! ❤️

Nominate HSSC!

Grab a Slice and Join us!

Our pawsitivley spectacular friends at Mountain Mike’s Pizza on Santa Rosa Avenue are hosting a fundraiser for animals in need. Show this flyer or simply mention the HSSC fundraiser when you order and 20% will be donated to the animals! The more you eat the more we raise! Bring your friends for a pawsome pizza party and do some good with every bite. Thank you for supporting local businesses that care about our beloved, furry friends!

Date: 3/23/24

Time: 11am-9pm

Location: Mountain Mike’s Pizza

Address: 2280 Santa Rosa Ave.

Santa Rosa, CA 95470

Website: mountainmikespizza.com

Phone: 707.544.2828

Rialto Film Festival

The NY Dog Film Festival® is an annual philanthropic celebration of the love between dogs and their people.

The Festival is a two-hour program of short films with a canine theme – a medley of animated, documentary and narrative films from around the world. The Festival premieres every year at a theater in New York City and then travels to theaters in cities across the United States and Canada, with a portion of every ticket benefiting a local rescue devoted to canine welfare. HSSC will receive 10% of the proceeds, come support great cinema and a great cause!