Little by little: earning Skittle's trust

October is Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month and we’d like to shine the spotlight on a special little dog who has been melting our hearts here at the shelter.

If, when you first meet Skittle, he seems true to his name – a little bit sweet, a little bit tart – there’s a reason for that. At just five years old, he has already experienced his fair share of upheaval. He came to us this past May from a shelter in San Francisco where he’d been brought in as a stray. The person who found him had witnessed him being hit with a cane. We didn’t know how long this little one had been enduring abuse, but we did know we’d do everything we could to help him heal and have a better life ahead.

Physically, Skittle had an old wound on his shoulder that had healed on its own. Emotionally, his scars ran deep. Afraid of strangers and new situations, Skittle’s first response was to bark, lunge, growl or snap – so our medical and canine behavior teams created a plan to help ease his anxiety. Since he’s been with us, he has bonded with his “regulars” – staff and volunteers who have been working consistently to earn his trust and friendship. Once he deems you safe, he is loving and sweet, rewarding your patience with endearing wiggles, tail wags and rolling into your lap for cuddles!

Earning the trust of an animal is one of the greatest gifts we humans can receive. And one of the greatest gifts we can give an animal is the space to know they are safe and loved. For a dog like Skittle, his trust will be a gift revealed over time. He’ll need a very special adopter willing to meet him where he is and provide a calm environment – one without kids or other pets. Daily walks might be too stressful for him, but he would love a home with a fenced yard where he can run and play. Could you be the one to give Skittle the peace, comfort and love he’s been waiting for? Please give our adoption counselors a call at (707) 542-0882.

Thank You! Your support enables us to provide a safe haven for animals like Skittle to heal and be loved.

Skittle is part of our Fall In Love special! Receive a 60% discount on adoption fees for all animals who’ve been patiently waiting 60+ days to find loving homes! Look for the leaf icon on the adoption page for qualifying animals ❤

Our Summer Special was a roaring success, all thanks to YOU! Together, we found forever homes for 44 incredible animals who had been patiently waiting for over 60 days—it added up to be over 5,000 shelter days collectively! Your support and compassion have made a real difference in the lives of these furry friends. Including Charles in Charge – shown here with his new orange brother, Steve, and Prince (now Ohtli), the handsome German Shepherd who waited 444 days to find a wonderful home.

While summer may be over, these heartwarming adoptions are continuing into autumn! We're thrilled to extend the love, and invite you to come by our shelter and Fall In Love with your new best friend! With your help, we can make this season of lasting connections and happy tails.

Please visit our website and look for the 🍁 symbol to see which animals (like Skittle!) are part of this fall special.

Belle is a sweet, petite 11 year-old Chihuahua who is the apple of her guardian’s eye. They’ve been together since her guardian was in the 5th grade and the pair have essentially grown up together! Earlier this month, Belle came to us in need of inguinal hernia repair and dental care. After a comprehensive oral health assessment, our dental team noted that Belle had significant dental disease: heavy calculus, severe gingivitis, a few missing teeth and decay was affecting her remaining teeth, so we set an appointment for hernia and dental surgeries.

On the morning of her appointment, her owner almost cancelled Belle’s procedures because she didn’t have the funds on hand to pay the estimate. She was relieved and grateful to hear that part of Belle’s dental procedure could be covered by our grant from the Grey Muzzle Organization!

Belle’s surgeries went well and her recovery from anesthesia was very smooth. Her owner appreciated the guidance around post-surgery, at-home care our team provided and has done a great job helping her precious pup heal.

It’s an honor to partner with Belle’s guardian in providing veterinary care for her sweet companion. Witnessing the connection they share fills our hearts. It also fills our hearts to have the Grey Muzzle Organization right by our side helping us provide the dental care senior dogs like Belle need to live their healthiest, happiest lives.

It takes all of us working together to keep companion animals with the families who love them. Donate to our CVC here!

Thank you Grey Muzzle Organization!

Come to the bark side and say fur-well to October with our super fun line up of Halloween-themed events benefiting the animals of HSSC. No tricks, all treats – we promise!

Check out our events calendar and follow us on social media to find out where the paw-tys are – we’d love to see you out there!

Gala Sponsor Spotlight - Guardian Angels

Special Volunteer Shout Out:

David Gurley Lahaina fire relief efforts

This month marks the 6^th anniversary of the Tubbs Fire, an event that changed us forever. We will never forget the way the community came together to help lift each other up. In true Sonoma Strong fashion, good things have risen from the ashes. At HSSC, our Community Veterinary Clinic was established in response to the need we saw during the free clinics we conducted during the fires. On a personal level, some of our staff and volunteers were deeply impacted – losing their homes but never losing hope. One such volunteer, our beloved David Gurley, along with his dog Bubbles, has continued to spread compassion to our community through their Animal Assisted Therapy efforts. You can read their story here:

Corporate Matching Programs

There are so many ways to make a difference for the animals of HSSC. Many employers offer matching donation programs for causes close to their employees’ hearts. We’d love to be included in your employee giving plan! Questions? Our Development team is all ears! Contact us at (707) 577-1911 | give@humanesocietysoco.org

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