Happy Hound donates their grooming services to Oakland Animal Services each and every week to groom shelter dogs. This an incredible gift because this service makes the dogs so much more adoptable and comfortable. For example, today they groomed one of our dogs who was so matted that his ears were covered in fur which was hiding a severe ear infection.
Our Longest Residents
We are going to begin featuring some of our longest-term residents each week. You can see the list of these animals here. Please share this link with your friends/family to help us publicize these animals who are really ready to find a home! Here at Oakland Animal Services, we do not set a maximum amount of time for animals to stay with us. We understand that it can take extra time for some animals to find that right adopter. Our staff and volunteers do their best to make these animals as comfortable and as happy as possible while they are in the shelter, but it is always best to get them into a home. We depend on caring people, like you, to consider these long-term animals when looking for a companion. One of the benefits of adopting a longer-term resident is that these animals often are staff and volunteer favorites. They get to know the personalities of these animals extremely well and can tell you more about the animal than one that hasn’t been with us as long.
This is Boots, our longest term dog at the shelter. As you can see, he’s quite the ham!
A Bunny’s Tale of Survival
Update: MacArthur has been adopted! Here she is with her new companion:
Oakland Animal Services sometimes rescue rabbits that have been living on the streets of Oakland. (Yes, rabbits!) These creatures, often abandoned by their human caretaker or otherwise lost, somehow find a way to survive in the face of many dangers, including cars, predators, lack of food, and an overwhelming amount of stress.
This bunny, who we named MacArthur, had reportedly been living on MacArthur Boulevard and 14th Street for nearly a year. She was finally trapped by a caring neighbor who usually traps and fixes feral cats. MacArthur had apparently even been seen hopping several times across MacArthur Boulevard — and lived to tell the tale. She had discovered a vegetable garden where she got food and found refuge under cars at a local mechanic’s shop. She had even been seen playing with a puppy, the two of them taking turns chasing each other. When MacArthur was finally trapped, she was covered in grease and oil from living under cars. It’s remarkable that she hadn’t been poisoned from these chemicals.
When she arrived at the shelter, we immediately gave her a bath. She wasn’t happy with this at all. But then she got to sun herself in our courtyard and was brushed and dried by a bunny volunteer, and is now reacquainting herself with life indoors with regular food and care. This special bunny is available for adoption at OAS. Not surprisingly, MacArthur is fearless and has a strong personality, but she is also quite a sweetheart. Come visit and see for yourself!
MacArthur’s story is unusual. Sadly, the vast majority of rabbits on the streets don’t survive. It is important to keep your bunny safe inside. Rabbits can be litter trained and are very clean, making for great indoor family companions.
Maddox, I’m so Handsome!
Update: Maddox has been adopted! Check out his appearance on NBC’s Bay Area Proud Pets: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video/#!/news/local/Bay-Area-Proud-Pets–Maddox/168662286
My name is Maddox. I’m a handsome weimaraner and pit bull mix. My favorite things are playing with my dog buddies Betty, working on puzzle toys, and getting my head scratched. The volunteers are taking me to obedience class and I know how to sit and lie down on command. I’m looking for a family that will teach me more and give me lots of love.
Thank you to Idaho Humane Society
Thank you to the Idaho Humane Society for taking over 100 of our small dogs into their adoption program! We drove 50 small dogs to them at the end of July and, incredibly, a large number of them have already found homes in their new state. We greatly appreciate this assistance from Idaho since we receive so many small dogs that we have trouble getting them adopted quickly. We also thank all of the hard work of our volunteers who helped get the dogs ready to go to Idaho, the volunteers who drove them to Idaho from Oakland and the Friends of Oakland Animal Services for funding their journey.
Celebrate Black and White Animals in September!
Did you know that black cats, black/white cats, black dogs and white rabbits are some of our most difficult animals to adopt? Our goal in September is to show off these wonderful animals. For the entire month, you can adopt any black, black/white, or white animal for $20. See some of our black/white animals here.
Deer Rescued from a Tight Squeeze
An Oakland resident took out his garbage this morning and was shocked to find a young deer literally stuck in his gate. It appeared the deer had attempted to leap between the bars of the wrought iron gate to get to the other side but became stuck when her entire body was unable to pass through. She looked like she had been trapped for hours since her skin was rubbed raw on both sides of her body. The resident called Oakland Police Department – two Oakland Animal Services’ staff responded to the scene. They saw that the deer was still thrashing about trying to free herself and was obviously exhausted from the struggle.
Wedged Between the Bars of the Gate – 3 inch Space!
The staff looked her over and saw that her wounds appeared to be superficial and that she did not seem to have any broken bones. She had become so wedged between the bars (a space approximately 3 inches wide) that there was no way to safely and painlessly free her without tranquilization. Oakland Animal Services’ staff injected her with a tranquilizer in her back leg. Her thrashing soon slowed down, her head began to get heavy and she finally fell asleep. At this point, the two staff of Oakland Animal Services were able to handle her without causing her stress and manipulate her body to safely remove her from the gate.
Freed but Still Sleeping
Staff then carried the deer from the driveway and placed her safely in a shady spot up the hill – the very place she had been aiming for! Then they injected her with a drug to reverse the effect of the tranquilizer. The young deer slowly started to wake up where she found herself freed from her nightmare.
Safe in the Shade
Time to Wake Up
Oakland Animal Services receives calls every year regarding deer that have become trapped and even impaled on fences. Staff encourage Oakland residents in areas with high populations of deer to cover fences and gates with chicken wire and consider removing sharp tops of fences to prevent these types of accidents.
MADDIE’s MATCHMAKER ADOPTATHON!
We are participating in Maddies Matchmaker Adoptathon on June 9 from 10a.m to 8p.m, and June 10 from 10a.m to 5p.m. We are at 1101 29th Ave. in Oakland. To adopt an animal, please bring a valid identification and all immediate members living in the household (including children) and to adopt a dog, please bring: one of the following 1) proof of home ownership (e.g. property tax receipt, title, or mortgage account); or 2) a rental contract that makes clear dogs are allowed. Animals will go fast so get here early!
Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon: More Than Just a Weekend
Maddie’s Fund’s Legacy at Oakland Animal Services
At Oakland Animal Services (OAS), an army of volunteers and staff is gearing up for this weekend’s Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon, the biggest adoption event of the year. Hundreds of shelter animals finding loving homes is the highlight of the adoptathon, but the impact of this one weekend lasts all year at OAS, where the funds raised during the event are critical to sustaining shelter operations.
During Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon, Maddie’s Fund covers adoption fees to qualified adopters and donates $500 to $2,000 per adoption to the shelter, with greater incentives for senior and/or injured animals. In 2011, OAS adopted out 166 animals and received $99,000 in donations from Maddie’s Fund.
These donations have not only been used to help care for over 7,000 animals a year at OAS, but also to implement critical quality-of-life improvement projects for the shelter. Donations from Maddie’s Fund and Friends of Oakland Animal Services, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the shelter, have made possible a large number of important projects, including:
1) Moving our laundry room to a much larger space and conversion to industrial-strength machines instead of residential ones! Now our animals can have lots of nice, clean, warm bedding:
2) The conversion of the former euthanasia room into a spay/neuter clinic
3) Expansion of cat cages
4) Creation of our neonatal kitten room
5) Support of our incredible volunteer program
6) Care of injured and sick animals from animal abuse and neglect cases
7) Equipment for investigating animal abuse and neglect.
“Maddie’s Fund provides crucial funding that keeps us going throughout the year,” said Megan Webb, OAS director. “We are so grateful to Maddie’s Fund for holding the annual Maddie’s Matchmaker Adoptathon and for supporting animal rescue organizations throughout the Bay Area.”
To join the fun, visit Oakland Animal Services this weekend during its extended hours: Saturday, June 9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 10, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Prescreen for Maddie’s NOW!
Come to OAS Thursday, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to take care of your adoption paperwork, see our adoptable animals, and speed up the process this weekend! Learn more.