Our pets make our lives exponentially better. They comfort us, make us laugh and are our constant companions through whatever curveballs life throws at us, and we’ve been especially grateful for our pets during the major curveball that has been the pandemic.  

They’ve helped make working from home MUCH more bearable and, despite their inability to file, take Zoom calls or send emails, their presence and friendship provided the sense of calm normalcy we all craved.

For many people, quarantine provided the perfect opportunity to welcome a new four-legged family member into the fold by providing time at home to get their new pet acclimated, in a routine and settled. You may be hearing about shelters experiencing an influx of “pandemic pets” being returned as people are going back to work. Happily, that is not the case here at HSSC! We haven’t seen an increase in returns and continue to place high numbers of pets into loving homes.

That being said, with businesses opening up and more people going back to the office, you may be faced with helping your fuzzy family members adapt to more time on their own. We’ve asked our Training Team for their top resources to help pets adapt to yet another “new normal”. With a little careful planning, you can set your pet up for comfort and make the transition back to work easier for both of you.
 

We've put together some helpful tips for transitioning your pets when you head back to the office:

  • Get back on a schedule. Our routines became relaxed during the pandemic and getting back on a regular schedule will help your pets mentally prepare for the new lifestyle.
  • Be sure to meet all of your dogs’ needs, including plenty of both mental and physical exercise before leaving them alone. Scenting or interactive games are a couple of ways to provide mental stimulation. Letting them sniff on walks combines the best of both worlds.
  • Introduce toys that they only get when you're gone. This serves as positive reinforcement when you're away and can be a cure for boredom if the toy is interactive like a peanut butter filled Kong or a puzzle toy.
  • Practice leaving your pets alone at home in small increments. This will help them learn to self-soothe or be content in their own company.

Here are some other helpful resources:

Malena DeMartini-Price is renowned in the dog training world for her expertise in dog separation anxiety issues and has written an amazing article on "Avoiding Separation Anxiety When You Go Back to Work: Start Now!" Read it here.

Read our helpful tips for caring for dogs in times of stress and transition here. 

 

Sweethearts like Sina, pictured above, are waiting to find forever homes!

❤️ Ready to bring home your new fuzzy family member? Click here to see how!! ❤️

 
 

News From Our Shelter Hospital and Community Vet Clinic

 
 
 

Congratulations to our Community Veterinary Clinic for being awarded the first annual Heart of Sonoma County Excellence in Innovation Award from the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership!

In addition to improving access to urgent veterinary care for low- to no-income pet owners in our community, HSSC’s CVC has served as a national model for shelter-based low cost veterinary care in the clinic setting. In response to growing interest in making Shelter Diversion (keeping animals with their loving families and out of shelters) a standard of practice, the CVC team has provided guidance to cohort organizations around the Bay Area and developed presentations for major national conferences, including the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement and the Humane Society of the United States’ annual Animal Care Expo!

We are incredibly honored to be among such an amazing community of non-profits and are thankful to the CVNL for the nomination. ❤

 

In these changing times, your support helps HSSC's Shelter Medicine and CVC programs provide lifesaving procedures and surgeries for animals in need. 

Any gift you can spare right now will do a world of good for our shelter animals and allow our medical and animal care teams to continue saving these precious lives.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

 
 

Medical Program Grant Award!

 

We are honored to have Petco Love as a partner in our lifesaving work! Their recent grant is helping us provide medical care for the animals who need us – both through our Shelter Hospital AND through our Community Veterinary Clinic. We are so grateful for their support!

Donations made during checkout at Petco stores make BIG things happen for the animals, including funding like this. We appreciate this circle of kindness so much! ❤️

 
 
 

How You Can Help

 
 

Help Us Raise the Roooof!!

We need to raise $200,000 to replace our Santa Rosa Shelter’s roof.

We’re turning to you to help us keep a roof over the animals’ heads – literally!

Our animal-adoring friends at ARS Roofing have pulled out all the stops to get us an amazing "cool roof" with a lifetime guarantee to protect the animals from ever more severe weather, save energy and significantly lower our utility bills.

Please help us keep our promise to the animals: to protect them and keep them safe, no matter what.

❤️Thank you so much for your support! ❤️

 
 
 

Rite Aid Pharmacy Fundraiser!

RXfundraising and Rite Aid will give us back a portion of the dollars spent on prescriptions and purchases made at Rite Aid Pharmacy. We get 1.5% sales of any items and .50 cents per prescription purchased through Rite Aid Pharmacy!

To participate and help raise funds, you just need to register for a member card- it’s free- and you can easily transfer prescriptions to RiteAid. 

It takes just a few minutes to start earning rewards for yourself and for the animals!

Thank you!!!

 

Join Us!

 
 

Hold the Phone for our Wags, Whiskers & WiFi 2021 Gala!

Register NOW! Our triple-award-winning electronic extravaganza begins with an exciting online auction - including your chance to bid on our famously extravagant cakes AND the chance to win an exquisite diamond necklace from E.R Sawyer Jewelers AND a fabulous Instant Wine Cellar!
Our celebration of compassion culminates with a retro twist: Senator Mike McGuire will host our Save a Life telethon to raise money for our Angel's Fund!

 
 

Get your very own Wags, Whiskers & WiFi Swag!

Help homeless animals and show your support for the Humane Society of Sonoma County with your very own Wags Swag. From tees (even dog tees!) to totes you'll be the talk of the town in your very own Hold the Phone gear! 

The deadline to order and have the swag in time for the gala has passed, but don't worry! You'll still be able to order swag up through the Gala to receive after the event!

 
 
 

Wags Provisions!

Eat, drink and be merry during our Gala celebration with these delicious offerings:

  • Tickle your nose with sparkling from Two Shepherds Winery here.
  • Prepare your very own off the hook cocktail with "The Bandit 75" package from Spirit Works Distillery here.
  • Enjoy delectable dinners made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients from Park Avenue Catering here
  • Stay tuned for special label wines from Mutt Lynch Winery. 

CHEERS!

 
 

Join us for Head West at The Barlow in Sebastopol!!

Head West is a local, community marketplace of neighbors and HSSC will be there August 14th and every second Saturday through December with our Kissing Booth, therapy dog visits, and training demos by our dog training department!

For more information visit: 

https://www.facebook.com/headwestmarketplace

 
 
 
 

Join us for Rodney Strong’s Americana Music Festival this summer!

Featuring three special evenings of wine, music, local vendors and some of your favorite local food trucks. Bring your chairs and blankets and settle in on our Concert Green. Limited tickets available. Please visit https://www.rodneystrong.com/events/ to view more information or to purchase tickets!

Doors open at 4PM; performance from 5-7PM
$10 adults / No cost for children under 15

7/31 – The Highway Poets 

8/28 – John Courage trio  

9/25 – David Luning band   

 
 
 
 

Wine and Wags Sundays at St. Anne's Crossing!

Join us July 25th from 11am to 5 pm for a Wine & Wags tasting with your furry best friend! Treat your dog to a biscuit tasting on the shaded patio while you enjoy a flight of award-winning wines.

Take advantage of special savings on select wine purchases and help support HSSC!

Click here for more information and to reserve your spot!

 
 

❤️ 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! 

 
 
 

First and foremost, we want you all to stay safe and healthy. As we work toward safely re-opening post-pandemic, we will continue to post updates about
our programs and services on our website
here and on our Facebook page.

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. 

 
 
 
 

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 2021

 

Kati Aho, President
Kristen Trisko , Secretary
Darlene Brazil, Treasurer


 Jim Barnes, Sandy Chute, Johnny Drake, Sophia Grossi, Chris Kittredge, Grace Lucero, Steve Maass, Marty Olhiser, Robert Quail, Dorothy Rodella, Danielle Sandoval, Kelly Stromgren, Tim Wingard, Vee Wright

Copyright © 2021. 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. 

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