Bay Area Animal Shelter Spotlight

Rocket Dog Rescue (Oakland)

Rocket Dog rescues homeless and abandoned dogs from euthanasia in overcrowded Bay Area shelters, not for fame or fortunate, but for the "kiss of a dog". Founded in 2001, Rocket Dog is a nonprofit completely supported from donations. Every dog is first placed in a temporary foster home where they receive socialization, medical treatment, and love. They will then seek out a permanent quality home through their many adoption campaigns. https://www.rocketdogrescue.org/

Solano County Friends of Animals

SCFOA is a local nonprofit organization that tries to accommodate all small mammals, with a primary focus on homeless cats and kittens. They are entirely volunteer run and 100% of all donations go directly to the care of their animals, including spay/neuter services, medical expenses, and TNR programs. https://www.scfoarescue.org/

Golden State German Shepherd Rescue (Alameda)

Their mission is to find loving new homes for German Shepherd Dogs in need of a second chance. Most of the dogs come from animal shelters in Northern California where they have run out of time. Their all-volunteer staff educate the public about the highly intelligent breed as well as rescue dogs in need. http://www.gsgsrescue.org/home

Hayward Animal Shelter

Since 1975, Hayward Animal Services has been open for adoptions, turning in stray animals, recovering lost pets, and other services. They not only have dogs and cats up for adoption, but a variety of other animals such as hamsters, guinea pigs, rats, birds and reptiles. https://www.haywardanimals.org/

St. Francis Animal Protection Society (Santa Clara)

This community-run non-profit runs entirely through charitable donations. They are there for at-risk animals – from shelter pets and strays to cat colonies and animals who need a new place to call home. Their founder, Helen Galantiere, was one of the first to form a rescue group without a facility in the Bay Area and instead placed the at-risk animals in foster homes. https://www.stfrancisanimal.org/

Brandy Sled Dog Rescue (Pacific Grove)

This all-volunteer non-profit is committed to giving a second chance to the sled dogs breeds. The breeds include Siberian Husky, Alaskan Malamute, Samoyed, and Husky mixes. This rescue group gives each household an adoption starter-pack with a bag of dog food and treats and toys to help make the transition easier for the family and their new furry friend. Before they find their forever home, dogs are fostered by loving families. https://brandysleddogsrescue.org/

Cat Welfare Advocates (San Jose)

Founded in 2017, this brand new non-profit is dedicated to helping cats and the people who love them. They envision a no-kill world in which every cat enjoys the good life. Their network of volunteers and connections allow them to foster and adopt cats who would have ended up in overcrowded shelters. They take the utmost care in finding the cat's forever home that best suits their personality. http://www.catwelfareadvocates.org/

Pit Crew (Sacramento)

Based in Sacramento, this volunteer-run rescue is committed to supporting "America's Dog" by dispelling the negative stereotypes and promoting the Pit Bull breed as a loyal and loving addition to someone's family. They help rehabilitate and re-home dogs that are either slated for euthanasia or at high-risk. PCS is devoted to reducing the homeless Pit Bull population through the spaying or neutering of all the dogs they rescue. https://pitcrew.org/

Pug PROS (Sacramento)

This rescue organization takes in Pugs and Pug mixes who have been abandoned at pounds or shelters, found as strays or turned in by their owner. PROS will rescue Pugs "from the Bay to the Border". The pugs are fostered in the private home of volunteers and then placed in loving, pre-screened adoptive homes.
https://www.pugpros.org/