Some pets find homes in days. Others take weeks. A few wait months. Cynthia’s here for all of them.
“I’ve always been drawn to the quiet ones,” she says. “The animals who don’t stand out at first. The ones that just need someone to see who they really are.”
Cynthia is part of the Adoptions Team at HSSV, where she works with pets who need a little extra time, care, or support to find their match. Some need help with behavior. Others need structure, consistency, or healing. All of them deserve the same thing: a chance.
“We don’t rush animals out the door,” she says. “We make sure they’re ready, and that their future family feels ready too.”
That support can look different for every animal. Behavior guidance, custom training plans, and trial adoptions. Whatever it takes to help both pet and person feel confident.
She’s seen the impact of that work firsthand, especially with animals like Yuki. A smart, high-energy dog with separation anxiety who was returned more than once.
“Each return taught us something,” Cynthia says. “We adjusted every time. More training, more communication, more support for the adopter.”
Eventually, the right family came along. Someone who saw all of Yuki, not just the challenges. With the support in place, they made it work. And Yuki finally found home.
“At HSSV, we stay connected after adoption,” Cynthia says. “We’re here with behavior help, training resources, and real people who care. No one has to figure it out alone.”
Donor-sponsored adoption fees also make it easier for adopters to say yes when the connection is right, but cost is a barrier.
“It’s easy to place easy pets,” she says. “But that’s not the job. The job is to stand by every animal, and every adopter, until the match is right.”