Mission Impawsible

Josephine TempongkoCats, Uncategorized5 Comments

It’s not every day you find a pair of cats in your ceiling! Or in this case… rafters! Gemma (orange & white) & Frannie (grey tabby) wanted a taste of the world outside of holding. Bored of the confines of their own space, they decided to make a break for it, but how? After some searching, they found it. A … Read More

A Long Road for a Sweet Kitten

Josephine TempongkoCats, Saving Lives, Uncategorized9 Comments

When the tiny kitten was brought to our medical center, she came with a traumatic backstory. Her and her sister had been found on the side of the road by an extremely caring man. Their mom had been hit by a car and passed away. Opal, as the kitten would be named, had an injury to her front right leg … Read More

Creating a Path Forward, Together

Josephine TempongkoCats, Foster, Saving Lives, Uncategorized3 Comments

The Start of a New Chapter It’s hard to believe that it has been almost five years since the first time I visited Humane Society Silicon Valley. I distinctly remember the warm February afternoon when I arrived at the Animal Community Center to kick off a volunteer consulting project. I was surprised by the welcoming campus and the beautiful building, … Read More

The Unstoppable Duo

Josephine TempongkoCats, Saving Lives, Uncategorized5 Comments

It started with Pirate. He came to us at just two weeks old, underweight, and with one of his eyes ruptured. One of our veterinary assistants, Stephanie, took him home for the night to monitor and bottle feed him. The next morning, his weight was down and his eye was looking worse. His prognosis didn’t look good, but our medical … Read More

A Second Chance for a Special Cat

Josephine TempongkoCats, News3 Comments

Despite the pain he was clearly in, Mr. Pipp was affectionate. He purred, arched his back, and leaned into pets from the staff in our medical center. But he was clearly injured. The young tuxedo cat’s pelvis was fractured and his hind leg was injured. He walked extremely carefully on his back legs, feeling the pain with every step. Soon … Read More

Why Missing Clear the Shelters Is a Bad Idea

Josephine TempongkoAdopt, Cats, Dogs4 Comments

Thinking of skipping this year’s Clear the Shelters event? We don’t suggest it. Unless, of course, you’re not a fan of amazing animals, being part of a community, and joy. Then you should definitely, definitely not come. If you’re not Ebenezer Scrooge, and you do like those things, we hope to see you there! We’ll be celebrating Clear the Shelters … Read More

Dad Jokes – Not Just for Dads

Josephine TempongkoAdopt, Cats, Dogs1 Comment

Dad jokes. They can be hilarious, gag-inducing, or just downright embarrassing. The true tell of a good dad joke is, of course, in the eye of the beholder. We have a few beholders here who are more than happy to share their true-blue reactions to some of the best dad jokes we could find on the internet (in honor of … Read More

A Week of Fires, and a Big Ask

hssvCatsLeave a Comment

At a shelter about 170 miles north from us, dozens and dozens of animals were waiting for their forever homes. Some had been waiting for weeks, while some were waiting to finish up treatments for kennel cough or upper respiratory infections before being placed up for adoption. But all were looking forward to a bright future. Then, the fires hit. … Read More

The Rock Stars of HSSV

hssvCats, DogsLeave a Comment

We need to talk about the rock stars of HSSV for a minute. No, not that kind of rock star. We’re talking about our medical team – the constantly-in-motion, never-stopping, hearts as big-as-planets medical team. Yes, these kinds of rock stars. Our medical team functions as the Renaissance Men of the organization – they can (and do) excel at many … Read More

Shark Week, Puppy and Kitten Style

hssvAdopt, Cats, DogsLeave a Comment

Baby animals of a certain age are adorable. Fluffy. Heart-melting. They’re also basically sharks. Adopting a puppy or kitten is like having full-time Shark Week. Hear us out. Are those fingers? Tasty. Puppies and kittens are full of angelic goodness. They’re also full of razor sharp teeth. I know not what you speak of. Teeth? I do not haz.   … Read More