by Jennifer Chung Klam
Whether it’s at the shelter, a park, or even a car dealership, SDHS inspires compassion throughout San Diego County
San Diego Humane Society can only effectively carry out its mission to inspire compassion if it can get the word out about its wide range of programs and services. That’s where its community engagement department comes in.
“People tend to think of SDHS as a place to adopt animals, but we’re so much more,” says Stacey Zeitlin, SDHS vice president for community engagement. “We want to be a resource before they adopt, so they can learn about responsible pet care and be there for the life of their pet.”
On one unseasonably warm Saturday in October, dog lovers gathered at Liberty Station for the third annual Pitties in the Park, organized by San Diego Pittie Parents in honor of National Pit Bull Awareness Day. SDHS set up booths for its adoption program, microchipping services and PAWS San Diego program.
Hundreds of dogs showed up in their finest “Howl-O-Ween” costumes and sampled treats and nonalcoholic “dog beer.” Among them were two special dogs looking for a loving home: Hobbs, an 18-month-old American pit bull terrier, and Jess, a 5-year-old Staffordshire terrier/Labrador retriever mix.
Community Engagement Coordinator Kelly Termine introduced the dogs to potential owners and discussed the organization’s adoption program. Hobbs, she explained, is energetic and very active, while Jess is sweet but a bit timid, and is best suited for a home without young children. Termine provided additional information from a table stacked with brochures, pamphlets and adoption forms.
Another SDHS booth offered on-site microchipping, a simple process that allows quick identification of lost pets. The service is also available daily at the San Diego, Escondido and Oceanside campuses for $15.
The third booth carried information about the PAWS San Diego program, which aims to keep low-income San Diegans and their pets together. Each month, PAWS San Diego distributes an average of 13,500 pounds of pet food to some 1,100 homeless and low-income pet owners. The program also offers in-home pet care to more than 450 low-income senior, disabled and chronically ill clients. They receive supplies, financial assistance, dog walking services and more. PAWS San Diego also takes services directly to underserved communities, offering free or low-cost spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, licensing, training tips and pet supplies.
“There are families out there who love and care for their animals, but their economic or other current situation makes it challenging to provide that care,” Zeitlin says. “We don’t feel families should be separated over their inability to provide food or other resources for their pet. We provide support so they can stay together.”
SDHS attends events like Pitties in the Park throughout the year, tailoring the information to the occasion. Each off-site event has a similar purpose. “The goal is to make an impact across the county, sharing resources and programs with the community so they know what’s available to them,” says Elkie Wills, SDHS director of community engagement. Her team members carry out mobile adoptions three times a week, visit schools nearly every day and do Pet-Assisted Therapy twice daily.
The Pet-Assisted Therapy program shares animals with people of all ages in care facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals and juvenile detention centers. Science has shown that being around animals can improve physical and mental health, so volunteers bring rabbits, guinea pigs, rats and sometimes dogs to interact with people who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity.
In addition to field events, Wills and her team handle on-site community engagement at each of the three campuses, including birthday parties, Animal Adventure Camps and group tours.
Wills also develops and manages cross-promotional partnerships with local businesses such as the Mission Bay Hilton Resort & Spa and Sharp HealthCare. At Kearny Mesa Subaru’s annual Share the Love Pet Event, guests can adopt and interact with animals and get pet holiday photos and ID tags. The partnership began with an adoption event eight years ago, and has since blossomed into a number of events.
Many of SDHS’s programs would be impossible without its legion of volunteers. Zeitlin says the organization’s relationship with the community is a two-way street. “They invite us to these events, which helps us get the word out to more people. We rely so much on the community—everything we’re able to do is because of the community’s support.”