Support your cat’s health and help prevent unwanted litters. Appointments are available now at HSSV’s Community Pet Clinic, but spots fill quickly.
The busiest season of the year is upon us. Check out the kitten season guide for ways to help and what to do if you find kittens in the community.
Browse available dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens and learn how to meet them today!
See How Our Mission Comes to Life
How a Blind Puppy Became a Joring Dog
July 24, 2026
Adopted from HSSV as a mostly blind puppy, Ingrid – now Toph – was trained slowly into a joring dog, guided by the sound of a bicycle bell.
Meet the Matchmakers
July 24, 2026
The shelter’s South Wing used to have a room set up like a living room – a sofa, the furnishings of an ordinary home – so that shelter dogs could get used to the idea of one. One rainy day, volunteer Rod brought a German shepherd named Callie inside and sat down on the sofa. Callie shocked Rod by jumping up and snuggling against him.
To understand why that was a breakthrough, you have to know how they met: she avoided him, barked out of fear, and needed space.
Summer Enrichment Guide
July 10, 2026
When summer heat makes midday walks unsafe, enrichment keeps dogs and cats engaged without overheating. The best activities tap natural instincts – sniffing, foraging, licking, chasing, problem-solving. For dogs, this means snuffle mats, puzzle feeders, frozen lick mats, and short training games. For cats: food puzzles, wand play, and climbing or hiding spots. A few ten-minute sessions of mental work can keep a pet settled through a day that’s too hot to walk.
A Lifetime of Joy: Rosie and Her Vet
June 26, 2026
Dr. Moore has spent almost 18 years on HSSV’s medical team – and for nearly all of them, a dog named Rosie has been at her side. How do you tell the full story of a dog’s life? Dr. Moore found a way.
Shelter Favorite Update: Boot Strap Bill (“Booty”)
June 26, 2026
Boot Strap Bill came to HSSV still healing after what was likely a run-in with a car. A young girl spotted him online and never looked back. Today he lives in Hawaii and rules the house with the confidence of a cat who has never once doubted he belongs there. We asked his family how he’s doing. Here he is, in their own words.
The Last Dog Goldie Helped: A Story of Grief, Trust, and Finding Home
June 4, 2026
Ellie was too anxious to leave her bed. Trembling at the back of the shelter, she wouldn't let anyone near her. Then a blind dog named Goldie walked into the room — and the moment she did, Ellie managed something she hadn't done since the day she arrived.
Trap-Neuter-Return, explained
May 7, 2026
There are more outdoor cats in Santa Clara County than anyone has counted. Most of them have routines, territories, and people who care for them -- people most of their neighbors will never meet. Here's what TNR is, why it works, and what caring for community cats looks like in practice.
Without Injury to Her Soul
April 20, 2026
The dog who sleeps beside Theresa now — nose toward the window, waiting for the birds at the feeder — is not the same dog who was pulled from a burning van in San Jose fifteen months ago. And yet, in the ways that matter most, she is exactly the same.
Petey’s Person
April 20, 2026
Zarah saw a lot of animals come through HSSV’s Neighborhood Adoption Center, so when a tiny unnamed kitten arrived with her littermates — finally old enough for adoption after weeks nursing as bottle babies — that’s all she was. A tiny unnamed kitten.

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