The shelter is over capacity with bunnies and more are coming in everyday! If you or anyone you know is interested in fostering, please contact rabbits@oaklandsanimals.org.
News
Rabbit fosters urgently needed!
The shelter has seen an influx of rabbits: 16 rabbits were surrendered in recent days, putting the rabbit population at the shelter alone at 40 (we have several in foster). This means we need more rabbit fosters to help us!
We provide all the supplies and support! Learn more about becoming a rabbit foster here.
Help us find homes for 75 Big Dogs!
Our adoptable big dogs need your help at OAS! Starting Thursday May 11, we are doing another big push to #emptytheshelter:
- We’re facing an overcrowding situation and desperately need adopters.
- Large dogs intake has increased by 24% compared to last year.
- We can no longer house this number of dogs humanely.
- On average, 10 large dogs arrive at our shelter every day.
- Dogs in half kennels experience increased stress and medical issues.
- We need the community to come adopt this week. Share share share!
- Adopting ANY big dog (over 25 pounds) buys time and space for other dogs.
- Adopting from a foster home helps make space in the shelter.
- Our goal is to get 75 large dogs adopted from May 11-14.
- ️ Adoption fees will be waived for dogs over 25 pounds!!
Join us on Saturday, May 13, for the Playgroup Rockstars Adoption Event! Extended adoption hours from noon to 5pm, featuring playgroups for our dogs.
⏰ Adoption hours are extended:
Thursday 12-7pm,
Friday-Saturday 12-5pm,
Sunday 12-3pm.
Most dog/dog introductions will be waived.
The first 5 people adopting 2 large dog-social dogs receive a $100 gift certificate from Petco.
❤️ Help us find furever homes for these deserving and lovable dogs! Come, adopt, and make a difference!
FOAS seeks Cat Foster Coordinator
Under general supervision, the Foster Coordinator is responsible, as part of the foster team, for developing and administering the foster program primarily for kittens, with some adult cats, from Oakland Animal Services (OAS).
Through support from Friends of Oakland Animal Services (FOAS), OAS has created an Outcome Team, made up of the Foster, Adoption, Transfer and Behavior Coordinators, to focus on placing animals and reducing length of stay. The Cat Foster Coordinator will work in close collaboration with the Outcome Team, OAS leadership and the OAS veterinary team.
The ideal candidate will be highly organized, flexible and able to work effectively in a fast-paced team environment.
As a pilot shelter in the Human Animal Social Services (HASS) program, OAS has introduced equity focused shelter-intake and community-serving programs, such as providing access to veterinary care, to help keep animals with their families.
More information, including salary, benefits, and how to apply
Bissell Pet Foundation Empty the Shelters event
Oakland Animal Services will be participating in the Bissell Pet Foundation’s Empty the Shelters event from May 1 to 15, 2023.
Adoption fees for pets adopted during the event will be just $20! Learn more about our adoption process here.
Shelter Town Hall meetings announced
Join us for a series of Town Hall meetings to hear from Oakland Animal Services’ Director, Ann Dunn, who will share updates on OAS’ operations, programs, and vision, as well as answer any questions from our community. These sessions are open to all, and will be held virtually over Zoom on the following Wednesdays at 6:30pm:
- March 15: General overview, including an overview of services and programs, and a discussion of all species (cats, dogs, rabbits and other small animals)
- April 12: How OAS makes outcome decisions (e.g. adoption, transfer to other organizations, and euthanasia)
- May 10: Understanding what animal control officers do
- June 7: Specific topics around cats
- July 12: Specific topics around dogs
- Aug 9: Understanding what animal control officers do
Click on the links above on each date for the registration link or recording for each session.
Over 30 dogs seized; help us help them!
Little Gandolph before he was dematted.
Recently, over 30 dogs were seized by Animal Control Officers and brought into OAS for urgent care. They were found living in unsanitary conditions — in a feces-and-urine-soaked apartment — and were severely neglected.
These dogs required immediate medical treatment, including extensive dental and eye surgeries estimated to cost $30,000, and OAS staff quickly jumped into action to help them.
Friends of Oakland Animal Services is committed to funding the care they need to have a second chance, and donors like you make this possible.
DONATE HERE TO HELP THE TOLKIEN PUPS
A large number of the dogs also have chronic untreated eye conditions with secondary irritation from matted fur abrading the surface of their eyes. As time was of the essence, OAS volunteer groomers went to work quickly to remove matted fur and trim toenails. All of the dogs suffered from untreated dental disease ranging from moderate to severe with significant oral pain.
Frodo’s matted fur and overgrown toenails.
Every one of these helpless pups needs urgent dental care with extractions, and some will need enucleations (removal of the eye). OAS staff is working as quickly as possible to make this happen.
Arwen before and after being groomed.
We’re hopeful for their recovery and we’re looking forward to the day they will be pain-free.
City of Oakland Notice of Ransomware Attack
The City of Oakland has learned that it was recently subject to a ransomware attack. The Information Technology Department is coordinating with law enforcement and actively investigating the scope and severity of the issue. Our core functions are intact. 911, financial data, and fire and emergency resources are not impacted.
The City is following industry best practices and developing a response plan to address the issue. In an abundance of caution, ITD has taken affected systems offline while they work to secure and restore services safely. In the meantime, the public should expect delays from the City as a result. We are actively monitoring the situation and sending updated information as it becomes available.
Help us find homes for 50 dogs in five days!
Can you help us find new homes for 50 dogs in 5 days? Because that’s what we need to open up room in our shelter and foster program to enable us to continue taking in the dogs that arrive in our care every single day!
Oakland Animal Services is Oakland’s only open admission shelter, helping over 6,500 homeless, lost and injured animals annually. Since 2020, OAS has undertaken a significant restructuring to save more shelter animals’ lives. By focusing on returning lost pets, increasing adoptions, expanding foster programs and supporting people in keeping their pets, OAS has decreased euthanasia for dogs by 67% and has not had to euthanize dogs for space since 2019.
Overcrowding has become an epidemic for shelters across the country, and in Oakland dog intake has been increasing over several months. In 2022, OAS took in 555 more dogs compared to the same period in 2021. There is now an urgent need to find 50 big dogs a home by Monday, January 16, 2022.
OAS is asking the community to save an animal’s life by adopting a dog. Those who want to help but cannot adopt are encouraged to foster a pet, which will help address the immediate crowding crisis.
“The changes we have made in the last three years, as well as the tremendous community support that we have received, has made it possible to achieve the lowest euthanasia rate for dogs in OAS’s history in 2022. We’re asking for people to step up in a big way to help our dogs now,” said Ann Dunn, Director of Oakland Animal Services.
We’ll be having extended adoption hours from Thursday through Monday, where you can stop by without an appointment and head home with your new dog!
Check out all our available dogs and pick out your favorites to meet. And, if you’re not in a position to adopt, please help us to spread the word to your networks – we can’t do this without the support of all of our community!
Extended adoption hours:
- Thursday 1/12 noon-7
- Friday 1/13 noon-5
- Saturday 1/14 noon-5
- Sunday 1/15 noon-5
- Monday 1/16 noon-5
Saying goodbye to our friend Pat Luchak
Oakland Animal Services (OAS) lost a giant this weekend. Since Pat Luchak began volunteering at OAS in 2008, she was a tireless advocate for Dobermans and Pit Bulls and other big dogs that were at highest risk for euthanasia. To know Pat was to know her absolute tenacity and unwillingness to accept the status quo for dogs at OAS.
Over many years, Pat was the personal conduit to getting so many dogs to rescue organizations as she relentlessly connected with people far and wide to find help for dogs who would have otherwise been euthanized. She did that up until the end of her life, since even battling her own illness was not a reason to her to give up the fight for vulnerable dogs.
Animal welfare work can be challenging, and at times painful, but Pat brought to it such a beautiful spirit that lifted everyone around her. She showed us what is possible when someone gives their all to help dogs who need a lucky break. She was that miracle for so many. She showed that same compassion to the people around her. We will honor her memory by keeping up the good fight on behalf of the vulnerable dogs who need us to make magic on their behalf.
Please feel free to share a fond memory of Pat in the comments below.