On a recent Wednesday at the Community Pet Clinic, everything seemed calm until it wasn’t. Suddenly, multiple patients needed x-rays. Sedation units were in demand. The treatment floor filled with movement and coordination. For Rhiannon, that rhythm feels familiar. “I think that’s very much how it goes,” she says with a smile. For more than a decade, veterinary medicine has … Read More
Teaching Trust: How Cecily Builds Pathways to Care
On any given week, Cecily Cigolini is coordinating mobile clinics at local libraries and housing sites, reviewing spay and neuter requests, answering emails from pet pantry clients, or collaborating with veterinary staff at HSSV’s Community Pet Clinic. As Community Services Supervisor at Humane Society Silicon Valley, her role centers on one core question: How do we make care easier to … Read More
Why Your Vet Spayed Their Dog
If you’ve ever hesitated about spaying or neutering your pet, you’re not alone. And that hesitation usually comes from a good place – wanting what’s best for your pet. “That feeling comes from love,” says Dr. Witting, a veterinarian at HSSV. “You’re imagining how you would feel if someone made that decision for you. That’s empathy – and it’s a … Read More
How Behavior Specialist Gee Helps Dogs and People Find Their Way to Each Other
For Gee Zinza, behavior work isn’t about “fixing” animals. It’s about listening, translating, and meeting them where they are. As a Behavior Specialist at Humane Society Silicon Valley, Gee’s days are anything but predictable. Her role spans hands-on behavior work with dogs and cats on the Behavior Team’s radar, training consultations for adopters, post-adoption support, and ongoing guidance for foster … Read More
Pets and People: How Cecilia Sternzon Builds Trust, Confidence, and Lasting Change in Dog Training
Cecilia Sternzon has spent a lifetime paying attention to how dogs learn—and just as importantly, how people do. Her relationship with training began early. At 12 years old, she was already working with her own dogs, curious about how communication, trust, and behavior fit together. That curiosity stayed with her through college and resurfaced more formally in 1992, when she … Read More
Celebrating National Train Your Dog Month at HSSV
January’s National Train Your Dog Month™ is a reminder that training is not just about teaching cues, it is about building communication, confidence, and connection. Led by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT), the campaign celebrates positive, science-based training methods that strengthen the bond between dogs and their people while promoting safety, trust, and lifelong success. This philosophy is … Read More
A Second Chance at Home for Willie and Cody
When Willie first lost his sight as a tiny kitten, no one could’ve guessed just how clearly his future would come into focus. Willie, a sleek black cat who had both eyes removed as a kitten, and his orange-and-white buddy Cody came to Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) as fragile ringworm kittens from a local colony. They were sick, scared, … Read More