Greetings Volunteers,
We have some very pig news! It’s the most wheek-erful time of the year: March is Adopt a Rescued Guinea Pig Month! Really, it’s kind of a pig deal! Check out all our adorable piggies here. BTW, did you know that a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor related to pigs. The name is a mystery, but the critter itself is certainly cute. It is a domesticated rodent from South America, where they were bred as livestock for the household. They are related to a wild species called ‘cavy,’ which still roam around in the grasslands of the Andes.
A special shout out to our Guinea Pig volunteers! These kind folks spend hours socializing our sweet, small critters every week giving them some TLC and getting them ready to find their new homes! Thank you Aki, Bernella, Christine, Heidi, Kathleen, Maddie, and Vincent.
Shelter update: We currently have 213 animals in our collective care. 160 are at Marin Humane: 48 animals in foster and 105 animals in the shelter/Kitty Corner, including: 25 dogs, 10 puppies, 54 cats, 1 kitten, 6 rabbits, 8 guinea pigs, 5 rodents, 2 reptiles, and 1 bird. 53 animals are with the Hopalong Foster Program: 12 animals are in the Oakland office and 41 are in foster or offsite adoption sites!
Adoption update: Happy mid-week-day! As always, we’re celebrating last week’s adoptions and want to thank all the folks who chose to adopt, not shop! Enjoy the Adoption Report for more details!
Hopalong happenings: We have a special gal looking for a great home currently in foster! Claire Bear, an Anatolian Shepherd mix, was adopted from the Hopalong Program 6.5 years ago as a puppy, and has recently returned to us after her family had to relocate to care for their grandmother, and the complex does not allow dogs. The family is devastated as they absolutely adore her, and her mom shared that “she has been the best dog she has ever had.” Claire Bear is quite the big girl at 120 pounds, and is a healthy, gentle giant who loves family activities, swimming at the beach, going for walks and playing with other dogs (whether they are large or quite small). She loves balls and carrying her stuffies around with her. Her best friend was her cat brother whom she adored and slept with, and the two of them have been partners in crime and loved to sneak up on the couch together and cozy up when their mom was at work. She has been with her family since she was 12 weeks old, is well trained and has a beautiful and happy personality. She is not a farm, outdoor or guard dog; she loved being with her people (which also included a child) and other animals. She loves the dog park, meeting dogs on walks and driving to Peet’s to get a pup cup. If you or anyone you know is a big dog lover and is looking for a peach to join their household, please share this post. She is one of the easiest dogs we have ever rehomed which we don’t say very often. She is currently being fostered in the East Bay. Please email Juliet Boyd at jboyd@marinhumane.org for more info or inquiries. Many thanks!
Tails of Marin: In this week’s Tails of Marin, Maggie Rufo of Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue writes, “On March 10, nonprofits, veterinarians, rescue groups, conservationists, and pet guardians will recognize International Parrot Crisis Awareness Day. This day highlights the existential crises facing both wild and captive parrots around the world. Parrots are sentient beings often viewed as valuable commodities, when in fact they’re not well-suited for a life in captivity.” Red her full piece for more illuminating information: The dark side of the pet parrot industry.
Pet sitter/dog walker list: We are in process of updating the Home Care/Pet Sitter List as we’re receiving calls for recommendations as people start making vacation plans. The list is for staff and current volunteers (who’ve been active at least three months) to market their independent services to the public. If you would like to be added to the pet sitter/dog walker list please provide the following info to ohbehave@marinhumane.org by March 11th: 1) your name; 2) service(s) provided: for example, pet boarding, pet sitting, pet visits, dog walking, etc.; 3) locations covered: for example, Marin, Sonoma, Novato only, etc.; 4) contact info: phone &/or email address.
Who will care for your pets? Who would take care of your loved pets if you were unable to? Marin Humane’s Legacy Society members are eligible to enroll their pets in our Guardians Program, and should they become incapacitated or die during their pets’ lifetime, our experienced team will care for their beloved companions and find them a new forever home based on information provided at the time of enrollment. And if pets need to be rehomed together, we’ll honor that request. Planning for your cherished pets is an act of devotion that can bring peace of mind, knowing you have a plan in place. If you would like information about Marin Humane’s Guardians Program or leaving a bequest through our Legacy Program, please visit us here or contact Nan Zimmerman at 415-506-6233 or at nzimmerman@marinhumane.org.
Sabbatical presentation: Come learn about my sabbatical trip to the Wild Horse Rescue Center in Florida at a brown bag presentation on Thursday, March 13 at 12pm. This presentation will take place in the Auditorium in the Whittell building on the Marin Humane campus. Hope to see you there!
Wishing you a terrific week!
Candace
