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Humane Society adoptions match people with the perfect pet
Photograph by Skye Dunlap
Matchmakers
The Humane Society has the best-kept (and cutest) secrets in the county
By Kara Chalmers
As his eyes search the roomful of hopeful potential puppie-owners straining to listen, adoption counselor Kenny Heggem calls out, 'Number 23.' Used to animals underfoot, he deftly dodges a small dog which was just dropped off and is now leashed to the front information desk. A young, pony-tailed girl bounces over, excitedly clapping her hands. With a grin, she plops a yellow laminated card with the number 23 in front of Heggem.
The staff at the bustling Humane Society of Santa Clara Valley has to issue numbers to adopters all day long. But 4 p.m. is last call and it is the busiest time.
Luckily, Olivia Francis, 9, and her grandmother, Laura Angel, arrived in time to make it.
"We decided this morning we would go after school and save a dog," says Angel, who is raising Olivia in her San Jose home.
In all, dog adoptions cost $70, a fee which covers spaying or neutering, vaccinations, a health exam, an identification tag, de-worming if necessary, and educational materials.
But adopters get a lot more than just the right price.
"At the Humane Society, people get a better understanding of what they are getting," says executive director Chris Arnold. "When the adopter walks out, they are far more educated and have a chance of a much better fit. Our goal is to create lasting relationships."
When they first arrived at the center that day, Angel and Olivia headed straight for the kennels out back and settled on not one but three dogs.
"We were both about to cry," says Angel. "We wanted all three."
Humane Society counselor Irene Valdez greets Angel and Olivia at the front desk and leads them to the adoption area for an interview. She looks up each of the three dogs in a database, and Angel and Olivia listen intently as Valdez describes each dog's traits and health history. Valdez then asks Angel if anyone in the family has allergies, how high their backyard fence is, and other questions designed to make sure she is a suitable dog adopter.
Olivia, a permanent smile etched on her face, nods enthusiastically to every question, eager to get on with the interview and back out to the kennels.
Finally, a light-brown cocker/dachshund mix is chosen, proven by the interview to be the best match for this family.
The 1-year-old stray was found on the street. He passed the Humane Society's medical and behavioral exams, and just that afternoon he was deemed fit for adoption.
Angel and Olivia now are allowed to bond with their choice in one of the shelter's "get acquainted areas," a fenced-in square with a bench and room for dogs to move around in. Angel and Olivia hug their new canine friend and give him treats. They leave the pup behind to complete the rest of the adoption process and head home, satisfied with their choice, but wishing they could bring all the dogs home.
It may be difficult for some, like Angel and Olivia, to view the dogs behind bars. True, the kennels are clean, and they are heated in the winter. The dogs are fed well and kept groomed. They spend an hour a day with socializers, volunteers who come in to play with them.
Still, every shelter dog's future is uncertain. About 60 percent of the animals taken in by the Humane Society each year have to be euthanized, but only about 5 percent of healthy and behaviorally sound dogs are put down. Although there are no set time limits at the shelter, there are instances when there is just no more room, according to Leslie Baikie, public relations coordinator.
Photograph by Skye Dunlap
A two-month-old pit-bull puppy seems to be pleased about the prospect of going home with Julia Lauterbach.
Strays with tags are kept for 10 days before being medically and behaviorally checked, while strays with no tags are held for three. Of the animals that pass the tests, like Angel's new dog, 88 percent wind up getting adopted. The remaining animals live at the shelter as long as they remain healthy and behaviorally sound. If they don't pass, they are euthanized.
Additionally, a state bill mandating longer stays for animals in shelters is supposed to go into effect on July 1, 2000. Under this "no-kill bill," all strays will be held for five business days, and feral (wild) cats and owner-surrendered animals will be held for four.
While the bill will give owners a longer time to search for lost pets, Arnold says, the bill may force her to kill adoptable animals in order to make room for newer strays if the shelter ever is filled to capacity. Arnold is steadfast in her belief that while the bill had good intentions, the reality is that unless more shelters are built, more adoptable and unadoptable animals will die, once the law goes into effect.
"I will not euthanize an adoptable animal to make space for an unadoptable one," she says.
Presently, the Humane Society takes in any kind of animal (there was even a caged rat in the lobby), no matter what its health, age or temperament. Nine cities in the county of Santa Clara--San Jose, Campbell, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Milpitas and Santa Clara--benefit from the society's services, which include picking up stray, injured or dead animals off the street, holding animals for reclaim and enforcing leash and bark laws. But over the next two years, a new regional shelter will take over these functions, when the Humane Society changes from an "open-door" to a "no-kill" facility. The Humane Society will still provide adoption, spay and neuter operations, education and humane investigations, but will no longer take in stray animals or enforce laws.
"We can focus much more on our mission and the city can perform code enforcement," says Arnold. "Our goal is to find homes for adoptable pets, and focus on treating them."
The next day, Angel and Olivia bring their German shepherd, AJ, to meet the new addition to the family, since one of the many Humane Society rules for adopters is that other dogs must be brought to the shelter for a dog-to-dog introduction. The two dogs get along marvelously, so the adoption process proceeds.
The final step is for the new dog to be neutered, another mandatory rule of the Humane Society. Within days, though, he will be part of Laura Angel and Olivia Francis' family.
"We're kind of a best-kept secret," says Chris Arnold. "We truly are an absolutely terrific place to get a pet."
All four of Arnold's dogs were adopted at the shelter and they come to work with her every day. That is not unusual at the shelter. Arnold says many staff members bring their adopted pets with them to work.
The newest addition to Arnold's family is Gus, 6, a sweet and loving golden retriever. According to Arnold, Gus was in bad shape when he was brought into the shelter. He had no front teeth, since he chewed his skin raw on his back because of fleas. His reddish coat was black with dirt. He was skinny and helpless. Arnold fell in love and adopted him immediately.
Although she loves her job, Arnold admits it is the toughest one she has ever had.
"When we have to euthanize, if you love animals, it's a very difficult thing to do," she says. "When you see the abuse and neglect that people do to animals, that's hard." Gus' case, she says, is not unusual.
"We see the best of life and we see the worst of life."
The Humane Society depends on public support to keep its doors open. The public can help by adopting a pet, donating money, food, toys or time. Volunteers help with grooming animals, cleaning kennels, working at the front desk and special events, and socializing with the animals. For more information, call 408.727.3383 or visit the website at www.scvhumane.org.
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
