Hello Volunteers,
On Saturday, we hosted a free community vaccination clinic at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church in Marin City for 110 families and their 139 pets (43 cats and 96 dogs). Families also received free pet food, collars, leashes, treats, and toys! Huge thanks to the five veterinarians who generously donated their time on Saturday: Dr. Monica Ortiz and Dr. Erin Bennett (San Marin Animal Hospital), Dr. Audra Pompeani (PESCM), Dr. Kally Watson (San Anselmo Vet), and Marin Humane’s newest vet Dr. Justin Bonetto. More thanks to the over 30 staff and volunteers who checked-in pet parents, held animals during treatment, fitted harnesses and collars, gave away pet food, and translated at every stage of our services! We couldn’t offer this community service without you!!
Shelter update: We currently have 338 animals in our collective care. 139 are at our Novato campus, including 27 dogs, 49 cats, 34 kittens, 9 rabbits, 10 guinea pigs, 2 reptiles, 4 birds, and 4 fowl. 14 animals are in our Oakland office; 27 are at Kitty Corner and the Woodlands stores; and 158 are in foster homes.
Adoption update: We know you love a Wednesday! Join us in celebrating last week’s adoptions! Though we couldn’t fit every photo in the slideshow, the adoption slideshow still includes loads of cute pics. Congratulations to all the adopters and thank you for choosing to #adoptdontshop 🥰 Here’s the Adoption Report for more details of who went home :).
Hopalong happenings: Hopalong wants to wish a happy adoption to Peppermill! This sweetie was found tied up alone outside the Hayward Animal Shelter at just 6 weeks old. When our vet examined her, she noted that she wasn’t responding to sounds and discovered that she was deaf. We knew she would need a family who was willing to accommodate this condition. After a few weeks in foster care to grow and de-stress, Peppermill got adopted! Lisa, her new pet parent, says, “Peppermill is home and getting settled in. She is very intelligent and already knew how to sit, and she is now learning to shake hands and lay down. She even comes when she is called when I clap on the side of my leg.” It sounds like Peppermill is a quick learner and bringing lots of joy to the family. Congrats, Lisa and Peppermill! 
We’d like to give a very fond farewell to Katia, Hopalong’s Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, who will be leaving her position on Friday so she can pursue a MA in Teaching English as a Second Language at the University of San Francisco. While we’re excited for Katia as she heads into this next chapter, we will greatly miss her kindness, dedication, and collaborative spirit. Katia made a positive impact to the Hopalong Foster Program every day and we’re going to miss her a lot!
Happy ending! “Thank you for Yoshi! The most wonderful addition to our family. Yoshi is approximately 11 months old now, and we were fortunate to adopt him in October 2025. My grandson picked him out, named him and they even share a birthday. He is joyful, adventurous, and busy! He loves meeting people and their dogs. We discovered that he is an Chimaltipookie with 11 other breeds mixed in! He acts very much like a Jack Russell terrier. Very, very smart and very, very loyal. One of his favorite things is running fast as the wind, but he also loves digging in the sand at the beach. More than one person has told us on our walks, ‘you hit the gold mine!’ We thoroughly agree!” – Christie
Fill the Pet Food Express Food Bank: Thank you Pet Food Express for supporting shelters like ours with your annual Fill the Food Bank campaign! Their help keeps pet food banks around California stay stocked with necessities to help pet parents when they need it most. Donate, learn more about the campaign, or find a local food bank here! Access to food banks can allow pets to stay with their loving families. During uncertain times, pets can still be fed and happy, lessening chances of being surrendered to already overworked shelters. When you give to Pet Food Express Fill the Food Bank, 100% of what you give will be used by food banks to purchase food, litter, and treats for pet parents in their community. And if you’re interested in donating directly to Marin Humane’s Pet Safety Net pet food pantry, click here for our wish list!
You’re invited!! Bring your lunch and join me and Carina DeVera, Marin Humane’s Digital Marketing Manager, as we share our experiences volunteering on veterinary missions — Wednesday, August 12th at noon in the auditorium. I volunteered with the Pets and People Project in Guatemala and Carina volunteered with RAVS (the Rural Area Veterinary Services program through Humane World for Animals) in Arizona. Through these organizations, veterinary teams provide high-volume spay/neuter services and essential care, improving the lives of pets and the communities they call home. We look forward to seeing you and sharing our experiences on August 12th!
Tails of Marin: In this week’s Tails of Marin article, Recently, a kitten who appeared quite sick was surrendered to our shelter. Our veterinarians ran tests on the little guy and determined he was in kidney failure, rare for a kitten. After speaking to the person who surrendered him, the vet team learned the kitten had been treated for fleas using clove oil. While there’s no definitive proof that’s what caused this kitten’s kidney failure, it’s extremely likely it was.
Important articles: The investigation unfolding at Miranda’s Rescue in Humboldt County has sparked a lot of conversations about animal welfare. Having hard conversations – including those around the “no-kill” label and how to support animals when shelters become overwhelmed – is the first step towards positive change. Our CEO Nancy McKenney and Jill Tucker, CEO of California Animal Welfare Association, both wrote about these issues, and we think their perspectives are worth sharing. 🐾 Here’s Nancy McKenney’s piece Marin Voice – Issues with ‘no-kill’ shelters show how focus needs to change. You can also read Jill Tucker’s piece here.
Hope you have a great week!
Candace
