Since its inception in 1987, Pleasanton’s Valley Humane Society has been supporting animals from across the Bay Area. By rescuing strays and providing them with forever homes, VHS has become an integral part of Pleasanton’s community.
“The mission is basically to support homeless dogs and cats and make sure they’re ready to find their forever family. So we rescue dogs and cats from county shelters, throughout the Bay area as well as as far as Stockton. By law, when an animal is found stray, they go to their local county shelter for Alameda County,” said VHS Program Specialist Sally Parsons.
Volunteering Opportunities
Valley Humane Society creates opportunities for people to experience the love of a pet, as well as connect with others. It also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for high school students ages 16+.
“So helping out in the shelter, both as a staff member and volunteer, is a very rewarding experience… Some of the animals we’ve rescued have lost a leg or have gotten hit by a car, and we still take them because we have our own surgery center, which is also in Pleasanton, and we can do that surgery. So then we have a cute little tripod [a three-legged dog], [who lived] a long and healthy life, but, you know, it always pulls at your heart when you see some of these animals,” said Parsons.
Helping out VHS doesn’t just give high schoolers community service hours; it also supports a great cause. However, aside from volunteering, the main way students and their families can get involved is by adopting a pet.
“I’m grateful for the people that… dedicate their life to, like, rescuing animals. Because I know it’s not easy. And also, if anybody’s considering adoption of an animal, I highly recommend going through a rescue or a humane society,” said VHS customer Carrie Mitooka.
A Growing Community
Valley Humane Society has grown to become a pillar of the local pet-owning community.
“I mean [it’s] so close to our home, geographically, but [it’s] just [a] part of Pleasanton and the community…so, it just makes me feel good to give back to a smaller, more personable organization,” said AV librarian and VHS customer Dawn Chatham.
Over the past eleven years, Valley Humane Society has already helped rescue over 7,000 animals in need of a home. Almost all of them have ended up with forever families. Additionally, VHS’s unique donor wall has also become a community in itself.
“They have this really cool donor wall in the facility where you can donate a certain amount and then they customize a little plaque, and then they create a bigger picture with that plaque. I think that’s a really cool way for families to not just memorialize, but just honor the pets that they rescued from there and then give back to the organization that obviously needs public funds to keep growing,” said Chatham.
With changes in the Bay Area big and small, Valley Humane is a key part of the community. VHS is open Tuesdays through Saturdays and is always looking for volunteers to help animals in need. Getting a pet from VHS is no small deal; adopters play pivotal roles in growing the community.
“Please donate to save these animals. In our county, in our state, in our nation, we all want the same goal,” said Parsons.
