| |  | | | Freeway's Wild Ride ▪ Healdsburg Happy Tail ▪ CVC Updates Giving Tuesday ▪ Pawsome Ways To Support The Animals ▪ And MORE… | | | | | | | | Freeway’s Wild Ride There's no load I can't hold
Road so rough, this I know
I'll be there when the light comes in
Tell 'em we're survivors
-Tom Cochrane Freeway’s journey to home was not without its detours. The brown tabby kitten was rescued in late September by an eagle-eyed good Samaritan who spotted him on the median strip on Highway 101 in Healdsburg. We shudder to think of the tiny kitten, just a few weeks old, crossing the busy roadway. He didn’t make it to the median unscathed - he sustained a severe injury to his entire tail – but thankfully he was brought to the safety of HSSC by his compassionate hero. Our veterinary team assessed the extent of Freeway’s injuries. He was missing the tip of his tail and the part that remained was injured all the way up past his rump. He also had a small wound on his lip and was a bit dehydrated. They administered pain meds, fluids and antibiotics, and cleaned and dressed his wounds. Given the placement of Freeway’s injury and his curious kitty nature, it was nearly impossible to keep his tail area bandaged. He’d slip out of his bandages and wiggle out of his recovery collar each night, so the healing process was slow. Since the injury was so extensive, our veterinarian was concerned that if we were to amputate the tail, there might not be enough of a margin of healthy tissue for a successful surgery. Another rough spot came when a litter of kittens in Freeway’s hospital ward tested positive for Panleukopenia. Panleuk is a highly contagious and potentially deadly intestinal virus so the entire ward needed to be quarantined for two weeks. Despite these roadblocks in his young life, Freeway was playful and cuddly – he would purr if you just looked at him. He had so much love to give. We wanted him to have a full, happy life with a family who would love him right back. Thankfully, Freeway emerged from quarantine Panleuk-free! Not only that, the skin around his tail was beginning to look healthy enough to ensure a successful amputation. We are thrilled to report that he recovered beautifully from the surgery and healed like a champ. Being free of his injured tail made stretching out on laps for belly rubs so much easier! With his newfound ease, Freeway became even more energetic and playful. He was ready to take the fast lane to adoption! Of course, the frisky sweetheart instantly purred his way right into a loving home. His adopter shared that Freeway “loves zooming around the house at 5AM, sleeping on my head and playing with his toys. He purrs so much it sounds like a tiny engine revving almost constantly.” What about the other kittens in his ward, the ones who broke with Panleukopenia? With expert medical attention and copious amounts of care and love, they all survived. And they too have been placed with wonderful families. | | | | | | In this month of gratitude, we are giving thanks for you. Your compassion helps us see the animals through the roughest roads to a place where they can know comfort and love.  Thank you | | | | | | | | | | Ready to bring home your new fuzzy family member? Click here to see how!! | | | | | | | | | | | | Brandy's Long Journey of Love  Brandy was adopted as a kitten 15 years ago from the Healdsburg Animal Shelter, and she lived with her beloved human companion for all of those years. Unfortunately, her owner recently relocated to a care facility, and needed to make the very tough decision to rehome her sweet senior tortie. So, Brandy found herself back at the Healdsburg shelter, looking for a new loving home. This senior sweetie hadn’t experienced much change in her life. She lived as an only pet with her adopter, in a calm, predictable environment. So, we knew Brandy’s future adopter would need to be gentle, loving and live in a calm, cozy home. A few weeks after Brandy arrived at the shelter, she met Ray. He visited our Healdsburg shelter looking to adopt a cat, and with no other pets in the home, he seemed like a purrfect fit for Brandy. It didn’t take long before Ray was charmed, and knew that Brandy was the one for him. He quickly made the decision to bring this darling girl home, and we couldn’t be happier for the both of them! November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, a month dedicated to helping senior pets find loving, forever homes. Through no fault of their own, senior cats and dogs find themselves at animal shelters, and often adopted last. If you’re thinking about bringing home a new four (or three) legged family member, consider opening your heart to a senior pet. Marshall and Sweetie are two adorable senior dogs, currently available for adoption! Click their names to read a little more about each of them: Marshall - Sweetie | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Access to Veterinary Care We are proud of HSSC’s very own Executive Director Lindsay McCall, Dr. Ada Norris and Melina Stambolis, RVT, for presenting at the first annual Access to Veterinary Care conference held by the ASPCA! Speaking alongside co-presenters on the panel, “Sheltering Organizations Increasing Access to Veterinary Care”, Lindsay, Ada and Melina discussed HSSC’s approach to providing safety net veterinary care to our local community through our Community Veterinary Clinic and Spay/Neuter Clinic. Our team was honored to be invited by the ASPCA to take part in such an exciting opportunity! The inspiring co-presenters of this panel were representatives from Humane Society of Boulder Valle, Animal Humane Society, UC Davis- VMTH, Dumb Friends League, MSPCA Angell and Animal Welfare Society. The event was sponsored by PetSmart Charities, Maddie's Fund and Petco Love. | | | | | | Cati's Life Saving Surgery Cati was an emergency surgery referral to our CVC from a local emergency clinic. She was pregnant, and once she went into labor Cati was unable to deliver her puppies. After straining for over 24 hours and not delivering any puppies, her owners knew there was something wrong. They brought her to the emergency clinic, where she was diagnosed with a dystocia, a condition which the pelvic canal is not large enough to give birth naturally, which is not uncommon in small dogs, and Cati only weighs 3.5 pounds! The veterinarian at the emergency clinic performed diagnostics to confirm that the puppies had not survived the prolonged labor, but Cati’s family was unable to afford the cost of the surgery needed to save her life, so they contacted our CVC to see if we could get her in as soon as possible. Our staff was able to make an appointment for her that same day, Cati arrived at the CVC in a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos box, which was telling of this spicy Chihuahua's personality! The medical staff performed surgery to spay her, and now Cati will never again be at risk of another dystocia. She recovered well, and was back to her Flamin’ Hot Cheeto self a few days after surgery. You can watch the video of Cati arriving at the CVC in her Flamin’ Hot Cheetos box here. | | | | | | | | In these challenging times, your support helps HSSC's CVC provide lifesaving procedures and surgeries for animals in need. Any gift you can spare right now will do a world of good for an animal in need and allows our medical team to continue saving these precious lives. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Help us Raise $30,000 this Giving Tuesday! On Giving Tuesday, November 29th, we have a chance to raise $30,000 for the animals – and we need your help! One of our amazing donors has put up a $15,000 challenge: If we can raise another $15,000 by midnight on Giving Tuesday, November 29th, they will match it, dollar for dollar! Please help us meet this challenge and raise $30,000 for the animals on Giving Tuesday! Why not start now…. There are two ways you can help:
1. With a direct donation to our Giving Tuesday Fund your donation will go directly toward our goal
2. By becoming a Humane Partner – a monthly sustaining member of HSSC. Your monthly amount will go toward our Giving Tuesday goal - and will continue to support the animals all year long! Either way, any amount you give to our Giving Tuesday Fund between now and midnight on Giving Tuesday, November 29th, will be DOUBLED if we meet our $15,000 challenge goal!! Help twice as many animals this Giving Tuesday with your gift to HSSC today! | | | | | | | | | | | | COMMUNITY PARTNER SPOTLIGHT | | | | | | Thank You KZST FM! You already know that community-devoted KZST’s chart-topping playlist puts some pep in your step - and their fun, positive on-air personalities keep a smile on your face… but did you know the good people behind this local radio station have a longstanding love of animals? In 2013, the station started sponsoring a “Pet of the Week” feature on-air and online, a tradition which continues to this day – each Wednesday at 8:10am we talk about one of our adoptable animals with Brent Farris and Debbie Abrams on the KZST morning show! KZST has also been a valued sponsor of our annual gala. Their generous support helped make our Wags, Whiskers and Wine events a wonderful success for the animals! KZST – your format might be “Adult Contemporary”, but we think YOU ROCK!!! | | | | | | | | | | | | PAWSOME WAYS TO SUPPORT THE ANIMALS | | | | | | | |  | Tune It Up for the Animals! Join us this Saturday, November 19th from 1:00pm - 4:00pm at Loud and Clear Music on Old Redwood Hwy in Cotati!
Bring in your six string electric or acoustic guitar or your ukulele along with a $10 donation for HSSC, and Loud and Clear will restring it for you with a NEW set of Ernie Ball strings! Got a Bass? Buy the strings from them the day of the event, and their amazing staff will gladly put them on your bass for a donation.
We’ll also have our Kissing Booth, so you can smooch a pooch while getting your instrument re-strung! We call that a Win - Win (and Wag!) | | |  | Wrap 4 Paws! At our Wrap 4 Paws HSSC fundraiser, volunteers wrap gifts for “tips”. All Donations go to our Angels Fund, supporting our veterinary program, helping us provide the medical care animals need on their journey to adoption. Come do some holiday shopping, get your gifts* wrapped and help the animals! You’ll find our fabulous volunteers from Saturday, December 3rd - Saturday, December 24th at Copperfield’s Books in downtown Sebastopol and Montgomery Village, as well as at a Gift Wrap Station at Montgomery Village near Design Jewlery! For all the info, dates and times visit our website. *Please note our volunteers can only wrap gifts at Copperfield's Books that were purchased in store. | | | | | |  | Pave your way into your favorite animal lover’s heart with a commemorative brick, and help the Humane Society of Sonoma County continue their life saving work! For a donation, you can purchase a brick in honor of your true love, best human friend, or best furry friend. Or celebrate your love of animals with a heartfelt message inscribed with your own name. The Healdsburg Shelter Commemorative Brick Project offers an opportunity to be part of our life saving work - providing a safe haven, new beginnings and second chances for animals. (Bricks are installed in our Memorial Courtyard at the Healdsburg Shelter). Order your brick HERE | | |  | We'd love to have your Vote! The North Bay Bohemian Best of 2023 Voting period is now open!! And HSSC is eligible for the following categories:
Arts & Culture Category
Best Charity Event – HSSC Wags Whiskers & Wine
Everyday Category
Best Non-Profit - Humane Society of Sonoma County
Family Category
Best Summer Day Camp - HSSC Animal Adventure Camps
Best Veterinary Service - HSSC Community Veterinary Clinic
Best Animal Adoption Center - Humane Society of Sonoma County
Best Animal Rescue Group - Humane Society of Sonoma County
Best Dog Obedience School - HSSC Academy of Dog
Voting ends December 1st!! Click this link to vote NOW: votesonoma2023.bohemian.com
Thank you!! | | | | | | | | | |  | A Little Help Goes A Long Way: Become a Humane Partner It can be such a challenge to give to the causes you love when times are hard. Sometimes giving a little at a time makes it easier to keep your loving support going. A monthly, automatic payment through our Humane Partner program ensures ongoing support for the animals through thick and thin - it's a subscription to a lifetime of love! With as little as $5 a month, your Humane Partner gifts provide homeless animals with safety, stability and the time they need to find their new forever homes. Every penny makes a difference, and you touch so many little hearts with the kindness of your recurring gift. Click the button below to become a Humane Partner Thank you! | | | | | | |  | Double Your Love For The Animals!! Right now, thanks to a longtime donor and friend of HSSC, every gift we receive from now until December 31st toward our Holiday Fund Drive will be matched dollar for dollar! There has never been a more powerful time to give. And your support has never been more important. The cost of caring for pets is higher than ever because of record-high inflation. We urgently need your help. And right now, you have an incredible opportunity to save twice as many homeless pets in Sonoma County! Your kindness will help them find loving families and forever homes. If you are able to give toward our Holiday Match, we will be doubly grateful for your support. Thank You! Thank You! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thank you to our loving community! | | | | | | | | | Was our eAnimail forwarded to you by a friend? Did a fellow animal-lover send our newsletter your way? Sign up here to make sure you get HSSC's amazing animal stories and shelter news delivered directly to your inbox! | | | | | | | Your ongoing support enables us to continue our lifesaving work for the animals during changing times. Together we are providing every animal protection, compassion, love and care. We are so grateful for this
connection which inspires so much hope. | | | | | | | | | | Follow us for more animal stories on our socials! | | | | | | | | HSSC's Santa Rosa Shelter:
5345 Hwy 12 West | Santa Rosa, CA 95407
707-542-0882 | info@humanesocietysoco.org | | HSSC's Healdsburg Shelter:
555 Westside Rd | Healdsburg, CA 95448
707-431-3386 | info@humanesocietysoco.org | | | | Humane Society of Sonoma County
Board of Directors 2022 Kristen Trisko , President
Sophia Grossi, Vice President
Vee Wright, Secretary
Kelly Stromgren, Treasurer
Kati Aho, Sandy Chute, Johnny Drake, Chris Kittredge, Steve Maass, Robert Quail, Tim Wingard | | Copyright © 2022. All Rights Reserved. The Humane Society of Sonoma County never shares any contact information, including email addresses, with other organizations. Your privacy is always protected and very important to us. | | | | | | | |
