Greetings Volunteers!
We are excited to announce that we raised over $623,000 at this year’s Tails by Twilight Gala – which will make for a lot of lives made happy! We’re especially grateful for the generous support of this year’s Fund-a-Need for our Youth Programs, which will allow us to cultivate the new generation of animal welfare heroes. Our Tails by Twilight evening was our most successful yet! Here’s a heart-warming video shared at the Gala on our efforts to help the Maui Humane Society after the devastating fires in August.
Huge thanks to all of you who attended Tails by Twilight as a guest, donated an item to the silent auction, shared social media posts, or volunteered at the event — you ROCK!!
Shelter update: We currently have 327 animals in our collective care. 226 are at Marin Humane: 101 animals in foster and 125 animals in the shelter/Kitty Corner, including: 20 dogs, 52 cats, 27 kittens, 9 rabbits, 10 guinea pigs, 1 reptile, and 6 fowl. 97 animals are with Hopalong: 21 animals are in the Oakland office and 76 cats, kittens, dogs, and puppies are in foster or offsite adoption sites!
Adoptions update: Welcome to October! We closed out September with a very busy weekend and a lot of happy families. Check ’em out in this week’s adoption video! And for the full scoop, here’s the Adoption Report.
Hopalong happenings! Can you believe it took just 18 days for this incredible transformation? Astro is a sweet and handsome boy who was struggling with some severe skin issues when he came to Oakland Animal Services. We were delighted to be able to pull him into the Hopalong Foster Program with the help of a rescue group. As you can see, after a few weeks in a foster home he’s already looking and feeling so much better! Soon he’ll be ready to meet potential adopters and put his best paw forward, thanks to his amazing foster family. Every day, we’re inspired by the positive impact our fosters have on the animals in their care!
Whoooooo goes there?! One Marin resident had quite the surprise in their home over the weekend when a suspicious sound was emanating from their chimney. Concerned that an animal might be trapped inside, they gave Marin Humane a call. Our officers get these calls fairly often and usually discover a small animal, like a squirrel or songbird, inside the chimney. So when Officer Conner Cimmiyotti responded to last weekend’s call, he grabbed a couple small nets and a carrier from his truck and headed inside the residence. But upon opening the flu, he quickly recognized the back end of a great-horned owl! Being equally caught off guard, the owl stared back with a characteristic look of surprise – which was then doubled when a second set of eyes appeared. Two owls in the same chimney!
With the help of Officer Adrienne Russo, Officer Cimmiyotti was able to safely retrieve both owls from the chimney. Officer Russo transported the owls to WildCare, where they were checked out and given a clean bill of health. Officer Russo was able to release the owls back into the neighborhood the following evening. Officer Cimmiyotti says, “I think the owls and I both learned a valuable lesson!” Luckily, owls well that ends well! Marin Humane’s Animal Service Officers are available 24/7 to respond to your animal emergencies at 415-883-4621.
Backpacks needed: Do you have an old backpack buried in a closet you don’t need anymore? Community Engagement will take it! Our Pet Safety Net program occasionally receives pet food requests from people who are either on foot or bicycle so a backpack would really come in handy. Bring your gently-used backpack to the donation bin in front of the shelter. Thanks! Also, if you have any brown paper grocery bags hanging out on top of your fridge (is that just me?!), our Community Engagement team could also use these for pet food deliveries. Thanks, again!
Tails of Marin: Halloween doesn’t have to be a hair-raising event for our furry companions. With a little planning and a little caution, your pets can also have a safe and healthy holiday. Get some good suggestions in this week’s Tails of Marin article, Don’t let animals get spooked this Halloween.
Happy ending! “My fiancé and I wanted to let you know that Ernie has been the most wonderful addition to our family. Foster fail after two days 🙃. We love talking with him, hearing him sing and whistling (more like cat call 😂) at people when they come to the door. I know how special Ernie was to the staff and will share updates. Thank you for this amazing opportunity.”
Gear up for fall! The Columbia Sportswear employee store perk has arrived! The Marin Humane + Hopalong offer is valid October 6th – October 29th. This offer is for store access (not valid online), please provide the Columbia Sportswear Store Fall Invitation + proof of affiliation / membership. You can bring up to four additional guests with each visit. A (shopping) adventure awaits!
Happy October; hope you’re enjoying the cool mornings and evenings!
Candace
