Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society: Disaster Response and Recovery Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

The Kincade Fire broke out on Oct. 23, 2019, and burned 77,758 acres in Sonoma County, Calif., over the subsequent two weeks. There were widespread power outages and nearly 200,000 people were evacuated. Berkeley Humane transported 14 shelter animals from Marin Humane to our shelter in Berkeley to free up space in Marin for evacuated animals. The animals transported were 13 cats (Asha, Biscotti, Empress, Gordon, Huckleberry, Jasper, Julie, Marty McFly, Poppy, Prudence, Puff, Sierra, and Terra) and one dog (Chandler). These animals included a blind cat, a cat with an undetermined crystalized mass, multiple cats with skin conditions, and a dog with a mass, dental disease, and skin disease. By transporting these animals, we freed up space at Marin Humane for evacuated animals.

Seven of the cats and the dog were seniors and, as such, required more intensive care. Funding from the Petfinder Foundation was used to provide medical care and boarding for these pets until they were adopted. Fortunately, all pets have been adopted.

This grant provided vital resources to allow us to support Marin Humane as they were serving evacuees by providing boarding for their animals. This grant defrayed the costs of transporting 14 animals to our shelter, out of harm's way from the Kincade Fire.

How many pets did this grant help?

14

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

We didn’t know how long Chandler had been a stray before arriving at Marin Humane and then being transported to our hospital; all we knew was that this sweet senior dog had significant medical needs and needed a second chance at a new life — and we were determined to make that happen.

If you say any kind word to Chandler, his squinty smile takes over his entire face and you can’t help but smile back! He is an adorable big ball of love, but this sweet disposition masked his severe skin condition, advanced dental disease and, most concerning, a mass on his abdomen that required urgent surgery. Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation, Chandler received the surgeries he needed, and after he recovered, he was adopted by a loving family. They renamed him Churro, and report that he loves meeting new dogs and cuddling with his family.