Are you a team player who enjoys working with animals and people? The Friends of Oakland Animal Services is adding to their team! FOAS is looking for an Outcome Team Associate to help facilitate adoptions of animals from Oakland Animal Services, provide support to the rabbit foster program, and provide support to members of the Outcome Team. Deadline to apply is Friday, November 13.
Friends of OAS
FOAS is hiring a Spay/Neuter Program Coordinator
The Spay/Neuter Program Coordinator is a key role in the day-to-day operations of Friends of Oakland Animal Services’ (FOAS) free spay/neuter program. You’ll be our main point of contact with Oakland residents wishing to participate in the program, ensuring that appointment and voucher requests are handled promptly, keeping detailed records in our database, and being on-site to oversee our monthly events. Bilingual English and Spanish speaking and writing ability are a must. There is also an opportunity for additional hours managing FOAS donor data entry, acknowledgements, and mail support.
Apply by September 10: More details and how to apply
Dog days of summer: a fundraiser for our dog foster program
A special message from OAS Director Ann Dunn:
Meimei was a sweet, playful girl for her age. She was in foster for a few weeks where fosters discovered she had urinary incontinence. She was placed on meds putting the incontinence under control. We would not have learned of her incontinence at the shelter. Meimei was adopted at the end of July.
I think everyone understands that the shelter is a stressful place for animals, but the sad reality is that a dog who is shut down or seems aggressive in a shelter, or who has some behavioral issues, is unlikely to be given a chance.
Before becoming OAS Director earlier this year, I founded and ran Cat Town, a cat rescue organization with a mission to help OAS cats who are at-risk for euthanasia because they are too scared in the shelter environment to show their true personality. I was told back then that the cats we set out to help were “unadoptable.”
By getting scared cats into an environment where they feel safe, so potential adopters can see their true personalities shine through, Cat Town helped increase the save rate for cats at OAS from 58% in 2011 to over 90% today.
Nellie was very shy, scared, and needed socialization. She also demonstrated food guarding behavior. Nellie went to foster and blossomed into a sweet, playful, and smart dog where no food guarding was observed. She was made available for adoption in the beginning of July and adopted two weeks later.
Knowing that there are so many parallels to dogs, one of the first things I did after starting at OAS was to reach out to FOAS to help me create a targeted foster program especially for dogs who aren’t doing well in the shelter and just need an opportunity in a foster home to thrive and become adopted.
- Our new foster initiative for these dogs in need of special assistance gets them out of the shelter and into the homes of one of our more than 350 Oakland foster families, as quickly as possible. But that’s just the beginning.
- We support our foster families with supplies, classes, and individualized support from professional dog trainers.
- We oversee doggie play groups at the shelter, an important behavior training opportunity for both fearful and aggressive dogs.
- Our “canine good citizen” approach focuses on improving a dog’s behavior, and the support provided to fosters and adopters means they can take a chance on a “dog in progress,” knowing they won’t be stuck without support in a challenging situation.
FOAS has set a goal of raising $10,000 to help dogs once deemed unadoptable. Please, give today to support our Dog Days of Summer campaign, which will help make our shelter’s visionary program a reality for all of our dogs in need. Thank you!
FOAS job opportunity!
Friends of Oakland Animal Services (FOAS) is hiring for two positions operating out of Oakland Animal Services: Foster Coordinator (primarily for kittens and cats) and Feral Cat Coordinator. These are both half-time (20 hour/week) positions. Depending on experience and availability of interested candidates, FOAS is open to hiring one full-time staff person to fill both roles.
Please note there is currently a half-time staff member who serves as a support to the foster program.
In your cover letter, please clearly specify whether you are interested in one or both roles. Please also indicate your general willingness to consider a half- or full-time position. Applications must be submitted by July 20.
Donate to support our shelter’s foster and emergency relief efforts!
Friends of Oakland Animal Services supporters have shown what the power of community is all about. Thanks to YOU, we have raised $15,000 to support our shelter’s sweeping foster and emergency relief measures during this unprecented time. Because of your show of support, we have committed to raising an additional $5,000 for Oakland Animal Services–and today, there is a matching gift opportunity that, with your help, will get us to our $20,000 goal even faster!
GoFundMe Charity is making $1,000 match grants to nonprofits like FOAS who raise $1,000 for their COVID-19 related relief campaigns now through May 10. Here’s how you can help!:
1) Spread the word! Share the link to our campaign (charity.gofundme.com/o/en/
2)If you have the capacity at this time, consider making another gift to help us take advantage of this matching gift opportunity! That’s $1,000 extra dollars to support Oakland Animal Services’ massive foster care effort as they continue to provide a safe landing for every stray, abused, and homeless animal who arrives at the shelter doors, even during this challenging time of shelter-in-place.
Thank you so much for your gift–and for helping us spread the word about this special double your dollar opportunity!
Help FOAS Raise $15K for the COVID-19 Relief Fund
We are blown away by the power of this community. In less than 24 hours, YOU helped Friends of Oakland Animal Services raise more than $10,000 to support our unprecedented foster-care initiative and COVID-19 crisis relief work.
Now, can you help us spread the word? Due to the ongoing nature of this crisis, and to the unique role that OAS is playing with City and County agencies to provide care and shelter for the animals of unhoused residents with COVID-19, we are raising our fundraising goal to $15,000.
Your donation will make the difference for Oakland’s animals in need in the weeks to come. Now, can you help us again by spreading the word about our campaign. Share our campaign website with your friends and contacts on social media, via email, or text–here’s the link:
charity.gofundme.com/foas-covid-relief
Oakland is a strong community. With your help, we are setting a model for animal sheltering crisis relief for the entire nation. Thank you for all you do, as a true friend to Oakland’s animals.
“Unique” pet portraits fundraiser a success!
The recent Friends of Oakland Animal Services fundraiser that did not guarantee talent for pet portraits was a huge success, bringing in 350+ requests for portraits. Over 40 volunteer artists gave their time, creativity, and talent (or lack thereof) to the endeavor. Thank you to all the artists who contributed, the volunteers who coordinated the efforts, and to all the donors for their support.
Below are the results (minus a dozen portraits that are in the process of being completed as of this writing):
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Participating artists: Bobby Babcock, Ann Barnett, Maggie Bradshaw, Julianne Chai, Mel Chang, Krisanne Combs, Jen Cowitz, Wendy Edelstein, Audra Farrell, Laine Fast, Delphina Han, Clare Hart-Slattery, Sylvia Hurtado Fajen, Hannah Karpilow, Karen Keith, Erin Kripke, Julia LaChica, Arielle Lehmer, Ana McCormick, Morgan McGuire, Tom McGuire, Megan Mclean, Chiu Men, Catie Nagel, Melissa Nelson, Wes Nelson, Celena Peet, Justin Pelkowski, Nora Potts, Trish Roque, Tucker Russell, Johanna Schorn, Judith Smith, Shane Smith, Megan Sullivan, Jack Vu + Friends, Suzanne Yee, Rachel Zak + Family
Get a “unique” pet portrait and raise funds for shelter animals!
(Talent Not Guaranteed)
UPDATE March 16: Submissions are now closed.
There are some incredible artists among the amazing volunteers who make the day-to-day operations of OAS possible. And there are many more who, let’s face it, should probably keep their day jobs. This erratic team has joined forces for a fabulous new fundraiser for the Friends of Oakland Animal Services.
For a donation of just $25, you’ll get an original portrait of your pet by a possibly-talented OAS volunteer. So set your bar nice and low, and support FOAS with a gift of $25 or more today! There is no limit to the number you can purchase.
To get your, ah, unique pet portrait:
UPDATE March 16: Submissions are now closed.
Make an online gift of $25 (or more). Your gift must be made between Tuesday, March 10 and Monday, March 16, 2020.Forward your donation receipt to [email redacted], along with a photo of your pet (one photo per donation).By March 31, you will receive your one-of-a-kind pet portrait — and prepare to tell your friends that they just don’t understand modern art. Art will be delivered electronically; for a gift of $50 or more, we’ll mail you a hard copy of your pet portrait (please provide your mailing address).
Our marginally-talented OAS artists are standing by! Make your gift to FOAS today!
Special thanks to the Wisconsin Humane Society and BARCS for the inspiration!
FOAS is hiring an Interim Executive Director
The Friends of Oakland Animal Services (FOAS) is looking to hire an interim Executive Director, the key management position of FOAS. Reporting to the Board of Directors the Executive Director will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for the organization. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the administrative, programmatic and financial functions of the organization. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, and community outreach. This position is interim and has the possibility of extending into a permanent position.
Deadline to apply is April 1.
FOAS is hiring a Cat Programs Associate
The Friends of Oakland Animal Services is hiring an associate to support programs at Oakland Animal Services, with a focus on cat/kitten foster and feral/free-roaming cat programs. Deadline to apply is March 20.
