A partygoer enjoys a bunny cuddle at the Oct. 24 celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of the SF SPCA and SFACC partnership. Thank you to SFACC staff and volunteers who brought our small animals out for the evening: Kirby Counts, Mandy Covey, Loretta Kelley, Perry Matlock, Diane Pignari, Michael Reed, and Sofi Sylve.
A beautiful night was had by all at this celebration of 30 years of the San Francisco SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care and Control saving lives together! We are more than neighbors; we are allies and partners, and we could not accomplish the work we do without working together.
Puppy cuddles
Small animal cuddles
Paint Your Pet (pre-registration required, sign up here)
For two days in August, SF City Hall’s South Light Court became KITTY HALL, an elegant room filled with lovely baroque music, courtesy of impromptuSF, and the mewing of many, many kittens. SFACC held the adoption events conveniently during lunchtime, and Dandelion Chocolate (a neighbor of SFACC) provided sweet treats–for the humans, that is.
Folks came by to cuddle kittens, and quite a few petting sessions ended in adoptions. Thank you to all the volunteers and staff members who helped out on this fun adoption event!
SFACC’s kitten extravaganza continues with a Kitten Pop-Up Shop this Saturday 8/3, at the SF SPCA Pacific Heights Campus, 2343 Fillmore Street, SF. Adopt one for $50 and the second kitten is free. Two are better than one; they play with each other when you’re not home, and give you twice the love and purrs!
PLUS, adoption fees are waived for SFACC cats older than 5 months.
June is a lovely 2-year-old waiting for you to adopt her.
Check out all the kittens and cats up for adoption at SFACC HERE!
It only takes 10 minutes for temperatures inside a car to become dangerously hot, according to the Humane Society, which supported the Good Samaritan bill. On a 70-degree day, car temperatures can reach 89 degrees within 10 minutes. When it’s 72 degrees outside, it takes about an hour for car temperatures to reach 116 degrees.
If you see an animal in distress, call the SFACC dispatch line (415) 554-9400 or 911.
I see an animal in a hot car. What should I do?
Note the make/model of the vehicle, license plate number and its specific location. Note a description and condition of the dog(s). Quickly use your smart phone or camera to film the situation, especially if any signs of distress are observed (see below). Also note the time and outside temperature if you have access to that information.
Call the local animal control agency or police. If you don’t have the local numbers, call 911. Along with getting help, this will create a “record” of the event (311 can also route you to the best agency to help).
Some locations, such as malls, amusement parks or casinos, will have on-site security that may be able to help take action sooner then first responders can arrive.
Ask clerks at nearby stores/venues to make announcements using the vehicle’s make/model to locate the dog’s guardian.
Return to the vehicle to monitor the dog’s condition and help responding authorities locate the vehicle.
If you need to take immediate action to save the dog’s life and remove the animal from the car, make sure you’ve gathered as much evidence of the situation and dog’s condition as you can, including involving near-by witnesses. Remember this is a last resort if it looks like the animal won’t live until officers arrive – even if you save the animal, you might still be charged with a crime and face repercussions in the majority of states.
Signs that an animal is in heat-related distress:
Anxiety
Wide eyes
Fervent barking as if in distress
Intense scratching or digging at windows or doors trying to escape
Excessive panting with exaggerated long tongue
Extreme drooling, salivating
Change in color of the gums (blueish purple, bright red or pale from lack of oxygen)
Increased heart rate
Labored or trouble breathing
Disorientation, stumbling or poor coordination
Diarrhea or vomiting
Collapse or loss of consciousness
Seizure
Respiratory arrest
Coma
How Hot Is Too Hot?
Think of your dog (or any pet) as a toddler… if you wouldn’t leave a four-year-old child unattended in a car–don’t leave your dog/pet!
L to R: City Administrator Naomi Kelly, SFACC Executive Director Virginia Donohue, Mayor London Breed, Former SF Supervisor Katy Tang, and SF Dept. of Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru
By Joanne Ladolcetta May 15, 2019
This morning was the groundbreaking ceremony for San Francisco Animal Care & Control’s new animal shelter. It was a good turnout, despite the rain. We huddled under a tent to listen to various speakers including Mayor London Breed (wearing fabulous boots), former SF Supervisor Katy Tang, who advocated tirelessly for the new shelter, Executive Director of SFACC, Virginia Donahue, City Administrator Naomi Kelly, and SFDPW Director Mohammed Nuru. There were a couple of adorable and adoptable animal ambassadors also in attendance.
On average, 10,000 animals come through the doors of San Francisco Animal Care & Control (SFACC) every year. Unlike more targeted rescue organizations, they take on animals of every kind. We’re talking goats, chinchillas, reptiles, birds, fish.
SFACC’s current shelter was put together in 1989 during a six-month period when the SF SPCA gave up its animal control contract with the city. Enclosures don’t meet industry standards. There’s not enough room for animals to get adequate exercise and socialization. There isn’t a proper system in place for disease quarantine. The building is not seismically safe. This was not designed to be a lasting solution.
The new shelter will be at 1419 Bryant Street in a building that most recently housed MUNI’s overhead lines repair shop. The exterior has to stay, because it’s a historic building, but the inside will be transformed into a state-of-the-art animal shelter nearly double the size of the current facility. There will be more play space (9,000 square feet of yard), better facilities for veterinarian and dental care, public spaces for classes and workshops and sweet sweet air conditioning.
I hadn’t realized that along with adoptions and being the place to go when looking for a lost pet, SFACC also provides disaster and emergency response. SFACC sent a team to Paradise for close to a month after the deadly and destructive wildfire, because 800 animals were displaced and needed care.
SFACC is also responsible for local wildlife rescue. When a raccoon gets stuck in PG&E equipment, who do you call? SFACC. They are the ones who will, “oil him up and pop him out.” I got the feeling that this happens more frequently than you’d think!
The city of San Francisco is investing over $70 million in the new shelter. SFACC’s dedicated nonprofit, Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, needs to raise $4.3 million more to help make the new facility a welcoming place for animals and their pet guardians, and to sustain critical shelter programs that are not funded by the city budget. To find out more about how you can become involved in the shelter campaign, email [email protected].
