Author: Lisa Stanziano

In April, 2022, San Francisco Animal Care and Control (SFACC) celebrated their one-year anniversary in the new building! As fate would have it, SFACC received a stray dog around the time of the one-year mark, who became a shining example of the amazing work that is done in this new building.

Teapot, as the team named her, is a short, stout little bully mix. Her body exhibited years of hard living; she arrived at the shelter with a skin infection, hair loss, horrifically inflamed ears that were swollen shut after years of infection, and a belly that dragged on the floor from years of breeding.

Teapot was a fixer-upper but the team at SFACC knew that beneath that sad exterior was a gem of a dog. The veterinary staff started her on antibiotics and ear treatments immediately, and the Behavior and Training (B&T) team gave her lots of socialization opportunities. The Animal Control Officers (ACOs) invited Teapot to sunbathe in the squad room during their shifts and admin staff welcomed her with open arms to shuffle through their offices with her signature hip-wiggling walk and snorty sounds.

Staff and volunteers put her on a schedule for spa services–long baths with medicated shampoos, gentle wiping of her wrinkles and ears, manicures and pedicures, ear treatments, and of course a deep tissue massage while that medicated shampoo worked its magic. In no time, Teapot started to bounce back, and it became apparent that the care and compassion at SFACC was the best she’d ever had.

After years of illicit breeding, Teapot was ready to be spayed but her difficult life had taken a toll on her little body. She suffered significant complications during surgery and lost a lot of blood. It wasn’t looking good, so she was transferred to the hospital for overnight care and monitoring.

The staff at SFACC was devastated and everyone was desperate for a solution. SFACC’s operation manager worked round the clock to finance a blood transfusion for Teapot at a reduced cost. Everyone was biting their nails until Teapot made it through the night, and there was a collective sigh of relief when she returned to SFACC on a gurney the next morning.

Staff set her up in a space so cozy that ACOs and volunteers were all caught cuddling with Teapot. Teapot’s kennel quickly became the place to take your lunch break and she was more than happy to host her numerous admirers.

A rescue partner was eager to take Teapot and get her started on her next chapter, but they also realized that after such a difficult surgery, some rest and recovery was imperative. Staff knew it would be best for her to recover in a home without the stress and noise of a busy shelter, and a superfan SFACC volunteer (and card-carrying member of Team Teapot) works with a local bulldog rescue and offered to let Teapot crash in one of that rescue’s foster homes. It was an unconventional arrangement that staff green lit because everyone was working together for the best situation for Teapot.

Teapot has spent the past two weeks falling in love with her foster brother, getting absolutely pampered, and this week she will be chauffeured to the rescue partner, courtesy of a longtime SFACC volunteer who is also a part of Team Teapot.

Some dogs really do involve everyone in their story as they make their way through the shelter and on to their next chapter. Teapot is one such example–multiple rescues, veterinary partners, and countless SFACC staff and volunteers poured their hearts into this dog, and she will go on to become a beloved and pampered family member thanks to their efforts.

Your generosity enabled us to intervene and help this sweet girl when no one else would. We hope you will join Team Teapot and make a gift to help animals like her today.

Thank you for your continued support!

With gratitude,

Lauren Weston
Chair, Board of Directors
Friends of San Francisco Animal Care and Control