This bird is a true survivor. He was seen falling out of the sky after a hawk dropped him while flying through Oakland. The little cockatiel fell to earth in West Oakland and was rescued by a witness who called OAS. If you recognize this bird or have any information about who it belongs to, please call us at 510.535.5602
Success Stories
Fun Stories from the Adoptathon
The Free Fur All – Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon last weekend was so much fun! We had a lot of great stories from the event. Here are just a few:
Dave Duffield, founder of the Maddie’s Fund, and his daughter, Laurie Peek, visited Oakland Animal Services and got a full tour by Oakland Raider’s Jarrod Cooper. He introduced Mr. Duffield to Kansas, one of our very favorite dogs in adoption. This was Mr. Duffield’s first time meeting a pit bull and it sure seemed like he liked it!
Jarrod Cooper, of course, had to stop during the tour with Mr. Duffield to give this mastiff some attention.
We’ve already heard a lot of happy stories from very happy adopters. This photo is from Missy Kissy’s adopters right after she got home from the shelter – she sure did make herself comfortable!
The Easterbrooks wrote to tell us about Cary: We are thrilled that so many pets were adopted over the weekend adopt-a-thon! We are even MORE thrilled with Carys (formerly Milly), who came home with us on Saturday! She loves her new home, her new bed, her toys, and us! We are so happy; she is incredibly sweet, playful, loving, and smart! After only 2 days, she is well on her way to being house trained, sits and stays, and is learning the new house rules very quickly. She is having fun in the back yard, going for long walks, and playing like the perfect puppy she is (she already knows how to fetch a ball, bring it back, and drop it in Mommy’s hand)! Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Share your Happy Tail here.
Thank You to Maddie’s Foundation
(From the Adoptathon website): Last year, Maddie’s Fund® organized the largest collaboration of animal shelters in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties for a two-day record-breaking pet adoption event which saved the lives of nearly 2,000 dogs and cats. The second annual Maddie’s® Matchmaker Adoptathon is being held on June 4 and 5 to repeat last year’s goal of finding loving homes for every dog and cat in the counties’ shelters and rescue organizations.
Maddie’s Fund has set aside $2 million for this year’s Adoptathon – double the nearly $1 million spent last year – to cover this ambitious goal. Adoptions will again be free for qualified adopters. In return, Maddie’s Fund will pay each shelter or rescue group $500 for every dog/cat adopted. However, to make sure no pet is left behind, $1000 will be given for every adoption of a senior or treatable pet and $1500 for every adoption of a senior pet with a medical condition*.
“The success of last year’s Adoptathon exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Dave Duffield, Maddie’s Fund founder. “We received reports that people were lined up down the street, and parking lots were full, as thousands of wonderful people came out to save the lives of shelter animals. We are forever indebted to the many Bay Area residents that came together for this common cause, and look forward to an even more successful event this year.”
Maddie’s Fund has partnered with more than 40 animal shelters and rescue organizations in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties for this year’s Adoptathon. Free adoption of dogs and cats will be offered at more than 70 locations**. This year, the Stoneridge Shopping Center in Pleasanton is working with Maddie’s Fund to host adoptions and to serve as command central for the Adoptathon. Other adoption locations include participating shelters and rescue organizations, PETCO, PetSmart and Pet Food Express.
“The dedication of the animal shelter and rescue organizations was incredible last year,” said Rich Avanzino, Maddie’s Fund president. “Without their support and hard work, the Adoptathon would have never happened. As a result, Maddie’s Fund is doubling its monetary contribution to help empty those same shelters again. Our big initiative this year is to expand our lifesaving to include more senior and treatable dogs and cats.”
Maddie’s® Matchmaker Adoptathon is being held to increase awareness of shelter animals and their need for loving homes and to shed light on the tireless efforts of the shelters and rescue organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties that work so hard to save the lives of countless dogs and cats. In addition, the adoption event honors the memory of the Foundation’s namesake, a miniature schnauzer named Maddie.
“During last year’s event, we set a personal record for our rescue organization. The number of cats we adopted during those two days was nearly double what we adopt in an entire month,” said Elaine Lyford-Nojima, Director, Maine Coon Adoptions cat rescue organization. “We are thrilled to be a part of the Adoptathon again this year, and can’t wait to adopt more of our terrific animals to loving families.”
* Maddie’s Fund will pay organizations $500 per regular adoption, $1000 for each adoption involving a dog or cat who is 7 years of age or older or who is diagnosed with one or more treatable medical conditions and $1500 for each adoption involving a dog or cat who is 7 years of age or older and who is diagnosed with one or more treatable medical conditions (list can be provided upon request).
** For a complete list of locations, and to print a driving map, please visit www.maddiesadoptathon.org. In addition, you can also follow updates for Maddie’s® Matchmaker Adoptathon on Facebook and Twitter.
ABOUT MADDIE’S FUND®
Maddie’s Fund®, The Pet Rescue Foundation, (www.maddiesfund.org) is a family foundation which is funded by the founder of Workday and PeopleSoft, Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. Maddie’s Fund is helping to create a no-kill nation where all healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home.
To achieve this goal, Maddie’s Fund is investing its resources in building community collaborations where animal welfare organizations come together to develop successful models of lifesaving; in veterinary colleges to help shelter medicine become part of the veterinary curriculum to train veterinarians to save the lives of sick and injured dogs and cats in animal shelters; and in the implementation of a national strategy to promote accountability and transparency in animal shelter operations. Maddie’s Fund is named after the family’s beloved Miniature Schnauzer who passed away in 1997.
PARTICIPATING ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS:
ALAMEDA COUNTY
Berkeley Animal Services, Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society, Big Dawgs Rescue, City of Alameda Animal Shelter, East Bay SPCA, East County Animal Shelter, Fremont Animal Services, Furry Friends Rescue, German Shepherd Rescue of Northern California, German Shorthaired Pointer Rescue, Hayward Animal Services, Home At Last Animal Rescue, Hopalong Animal Rescue, Island Cat Resources and Adoption, Maine Coon Adoptions, Oakland Animal Services, Purrfect Cat Rescue, Sunshine Rescue Group, Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, Valley Humane Society, Wren Yorkie Rescue
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Antioch Animal Shelter, Biff & Bark Foundation, Cat Support Network, Community Concern for Cats, Contra Costa Animal Services, Contra Costa Humane Society, Contra Costa SPCA, East Bay Animal Rescue and Refuge, Feral Cat Foundation, Golden State German Shepherd Rescue, Good Newz Pittie Pup Rescue, Great Kitty (and Doggy) Rescue of Rescue Alliance, H.A.L.O. (Homeless Animals’ Lifeline Organization), HARP (Homeless Animals Response Program), Hayflakes Sanctuary, Lucky Dog, Outcast Cat Help, Paw Printz Pitbull Rescue, Paws and Tails Rescue, Pets and Pals, , Pomeranian Rescue Group, Safe Cat Foundation, Shake Wiggle N Roll, Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, White Kitty Foundation
A Generous Gift
Students at Arroyo High School in San Lorenzo made a generous gift to the Friends of Oakland Animal Shelter(FOAS) on Sunday. A gift of $426.23, to be exact. The students decided to raise money for FOAS because one student’s family had adopted an animal from us several years ago, and it was now a beloved family pet. By asking for a donation for the buttons shown in the picture below, the girls not only raised money for the shelter, but also educated their fellow students about animal cruelty by handing out a fact sheet that accompanied the button.
We are so thankful for the effort and generosity of these students.
Fox in Oakland
(From the Oakland Tribune) Helen Wren doesn’t have a fox in the henhouse.
She has a family of gray foxes — a mom, dad and six babies — living underneath the rear deck of her home on Elvessa Street in the East Oakland hills. With the numerous trees and bushes on her acre of property, it is like a country scene in the middle of an urban area.
“It’s a little bit exciting,” said Wren, a retired high school English and history teacher who first spotted the kit Sunday morning although she thinks they have been there longer. She said it looked like the babies are a week to 10 days old, “like little kittens.”
She said the mother is “a real tiny thing. I didn’t know they could have such a big litter.” She is pretty sure the babies were born in her backyard and the parents decided to make their den underneath her deck.
She said the foxes drink water out of a backyard bird bath and her grandchildren have seen the parents catch a mouse and a bird for their meals.
Wren has lived in her house since 1986 and has seen deer, turkeys, raccoons and possums but never any foxes.
“It’s like science in your own backyard,” she said, adding she has scoured the Internet to find out as much as she can about her new visitors. “I’ve become attached to these animals.”
Her grandchildren, 9-year-old Zion and 8-year-old Naya, have developed a fondness for the foxes but she is worried about the animals’ well-being, especially with the number of animal predators in the nearby wooded areas.
Even “the birds around here are vicious,” she said.
Wren has seen the foxes both at dusk and in the morning and has captured pictures of them. One of the adults — she thinks it is the father — keeps a constant watch on the little ones and she has heard it howl “like it was trying to warn the little ones about something. They seem to have a strong family structure.”
On Tuesday, she called police and the city Animal Services Section to determine what to do with them. After talking to Animal Services Director Megan Webb, who contacted wildlife rescue experts, it was decided she would let the family stay for a few weeks when they would probably leave on their own with a little encouragement.
Webb said the Oakland hills are a natural habitat for foxes and that radio noises and lighting would probably “make them move to a better location.” Experts say the baby foxes usually learn to hunt on their own at 3 months.
Wren said she is happy having the foxes stay. “I think they have a better chance of survival, and the grandkids are very happy they’re going to be around for awhile longer.”
Webb said foxes are “savvy critters,” which is probably why the parents picked underneath the deck to live. “It’s easy to hide and it’s quiet.”
Webb said she has no doubt the foxes, who are “very, very amazing hunters” will survive on their own. And there is another plus for Wren:
“She won’t have a rodent problem,” Webb said.
ACO Rescues Elderly Dog Trapped in Ravine for 8 Days!
This is Tali, a 16-year-old American Eskimo dog who lives with her family in Sacramento. She went with them to visit friends in Oakland and somehow she wandered off. Her family was desperate to find her before they had to return home to Sacramento. They searched and searched and put up flyers, including at Oakland Animal Services. Days passed and they still were unable to locate Tali.
On April 23, 2011, Animal Control Officer Strong responded to a call from a citizen about a dog crying in a vacant lot. She had a large number of calls that day and was the only Animal Control Officer in the field. She could have easily justified stacking the call for the next day. However, she had a feeling the call was important and made sure to handle it. When she arrived, she searched the entire vacant property and discovered an American Eskimo dog at the bottom of a steep ravine. Strong climbed down to the dog, who was very frightened. She gathered the dog up and managed to climb back out with the 30 pound animal. She knew the dog was in medical distress so she immediately drove the dog to the shelter. She realized that she recognized the dog from one of the lost posters that had been left at the shelter and she was able to call Tali’s desperate owners.
Tali had been missing eight days and somehow survived those eight days at the bottom of the ravine. Her owners were ecstatic! It is truly incredible she survived! Strong drove Tali directly to VCA where she was treated and reunited with her family.
Tali and her family were reunited just in time for Easter. See the photo above of their celebration on Easter! Tali’s owner wrote us and said, “Thank you to the exemplary service and personal sensitivity of Officer Tanya Strong who found, rescued, and returned home to me my beloved dog Tali on 4/23/2011. Thank you!”
Reunited after 3 Years Apart!
This is Paige and her dog Sergeant. The twist to this story is that Sergeant was stolen from her home three years ago and she hadn’t seen him since. Luckily, Sergeant was microchipped and Paige made sure to keep her contact information updated with the microchip company, just in case he was ever found. She says she had given up hope of ever seeing him again until she got a letter from Oakland Animal Services letting her know that Sergeant was found running loose in Oakland by an Oakland police officer. The shelter was able to contact Paige from his microchip. She came in today and was reunited with Sergeant after three years! She told us that she had just suffered the death of her other dog last month and was overjoyed to have Sergeant back in her life. It’s a wonderful reminder to make sure your pets are microchipped and the contact information is regularly updated! Oakland residents can have their dogs microchipped at OAS for only $10. Do it!
Kermie Gets a Life Makeover
Update – 5/25/11
Thank you to the wonderful people at Family Dogs New Life for taking such great care of our beloved Kermie and working to get him adopted! Check out “Kermit’s Piteo” they just put together that dramatizes his long journey to get to Family Dogs New Life from Oakland! And, look at the new handsome photos of him! We knew he was a star!
Update – 4/27/11
Kermie got all packed yesterday and left for us big adventure North! We will miss him and wish him the best!
You can see Kermie in the background of the photo below on March 3, 2011 when we rescued him from a life on a chain and possible dog fighting. We arrested Kermie’s owner for animal abuse and took his dogs, including Kermie, to the Shelter. Kermie has a congenital defect of his back legs which make him hop a bit like a frog. He had trouble even walking when we first got him – but now that he’s had regular exercise, he’s even able to run! Since Kermie is so easy to recognize, we knew that we couldn’t adopt him in Oakland where his abuser might spot him. We reached out to Megan Alexander who we were introduced to by Our Pack and who helped us place dogs from our 33 dog rescue. Thanks to Megan Alexander, Kermie will be headed out of state on Tuesday to a foster home!
Kermie Now:
The brindle girl in the front of the photo is “Gracy” or otherwise known as “Vera Wang.” She’s available for adoption! She is currently at WOOF Doggie Day Care in San Ramon – visit her there or call them for more information.:)
Pile O’ Puppies!
These are 6 three-week-old wirehaired pointer puppies. Their mom was found running the streets of Oakland and was rescued by an Oakland police officer who brought her to Oakland Animal Services. Mom was lactating and had obviously recently given birth. We were very worried about her puppies but no one came to look for mom . . . until six days later when her owner came into the Shelter and stated the dog belonged to him. He had purchased her to breed and sell puppies. We asked him where her puppies were and he told us that they were three weeks old and that he was feeding them. Per Oakland Municipal Law, mom could not be released to him until she was spayed and we told him that he would need to bring in her babies to reunite them with her.
He did not return that night so Animal Control Officer Frede went to find the puppies. After investigation, Frede was able to rescue all of her babies. They were extremely thin and the ends of their tails were raw and open from having been docked — it looked like they had been removed crudely with scissors. Frede returned to the shelter with the puppies and placed them with their mother. They were screaming with hunger which terrified and stressed their mom. Even after suckling, they were still hungry since mom’s milk had already begun to dry up in the last six days. We bottlefed all of the puppies and, thankfully, Animal Control Officer Strong took four of them home to bottlefeed. Strong had a long night of bottlefeeding very fussy puppies.
We contacted Pound Puppy Rescue who found a long term foster for all of them. We thank them for their help in making a happy ending in a long and stressful story! The owner of the mom and puppies has surrendered all of them and we have submitted a crime report against him.
Dog Mummified by Mats – Rescued!
Update 6/9/11:
Van Winkle reached a major milestone in his recovery today – he had ear canal ablation surgery on both ears. Dr. Tim Sellmeyer peformed this lengthy surgery on Van Winkle to remove the vertical and horizontal ear canal, the ear drum and part of the middle ear. His ears had become so severely infected from the horrible neglect he endured that his ears needed to be removed. Dr. Sellmeyer said that both ears were in horrible condition but that his left ear was the worst he’d ever seen. It is likely that this was the cause of his head tilt to the left. We thank Dr. Sellmeyer for performing the surgery at a discount and for Friends of Oakland Animal Services’ for covering this cost.
Van Winkle is looking like a whole new dog! His hair is almost completely grown back and is soft and healthy looking. It started to grow back after he started being treated for his thyroid condition. He’s able to run with no problem because his feet have healed and are no longer swollen and red. And, he’s gained a lot of weight and is even getting a little pudgy!
Video: Van Winkle looking for food before his surgery. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t getting fed before his surgery!
Video: Van Winkle snoring after his over 3.5 hour surgery today – the dog in the last few frames is another OAS dog “Rudy” who had the same surgery today – also performed by Dr. Sellmeyer.
Update 5/2/11:
Here are some new photos of Van Winkle with his foster family! He’s being fostered by Oakland Police Officer Jose and his wife and daughter and their labrador.
New AFTER Photos of Van Winkle – He’s learning to play and wag his tail! He loves exploring and he’s getting much steadier on his feet!
VanWinkle, a four to five year old cocker spaniel, was dropped off at OAS on Thursday by a citizen who stated he had found the dog on the side of the road. VanWinkle was unable to stand, his nails were curled around the huge clumps of fur and his ears were weighted down with huge dreds. He was literally mummified by mats! Megan Webb, Director of Oakland Animal Services, said, “It was a horrifying sight. He was basically encased in a shell of fur, unable to move or function normally. VanWinkle was one of the worst cases of neglect I’ve seen in 10 years of working in animal rescue.”
Click here for VIDEO.
Animal Control Officer Tanya Strong immediately drove Vanwinkle to PETS Emergency Clinic in Berkeley. They shaved him down to his skin. It took hours and was extremely difficult work. We want to thank all of the staff at PETS for their hard work to help Vanwinkle and Friends of Oakland Animal Services for covering the cost of his care.
VanWinkle is back at Oakland Animal Services. However, his ordeal is not over. He has very little muscle mass because he has gone so long without walking. His paws and legs have turned purple from lack of circulation. And, his ears are terribly infected.
VanWinkle after his incredible care at PETS Emergency in Berkeley.
VanWinkle is going to need physical therapy and ongoing care to recover. Please consider donating to his care here. If anyone knows who neglected VanWinkle, please call OAS at 510-535-5602 with any information.
See new VIDEO of Van Winkle.
Dogs with medium and long fur must be groomed regularly – not just to make them look and smell good but to keep them healthy. Falure to brush and clip these dogs can lead to their fur clumping and matting which can irritate their skin underneath. In serious cases, the dog’s entire fur can turn into a giant mat, retricting the dog’s movement, vision, hearing and even urination/defecation. Oakland Animal Services rescues dogs from all types of neglect, including grooming neglect.
Only one week before Vanwinkle’s rescue, we had another dog who was traumatized by not being groomed properly. This schnauzer was also brought to us as a “stray dog”.
Who could have guessed that a little schnauzer was hiding inside this huge mass of fur?
It was her lucky day when someone found this little girl on the street and brought her to us. Our animal care assistant and groomer set to work.
We named her Sinead. She’s young, about a year old, and she was very patient throughout the entire process!
Look at this pelt!
Grooming is so important. It is not just for good looks — ungroomed dogs can develop health problems such as yeast and fungal infections and are more likely to harbor fleas, ticks, and disease.
After her shave, Sinead got a bath (maybe her first?) She seemed to really enjoy it.
She is so much happier. All she needs now is a loving forever home — with regular grooming!