Blueberry (white mini-lop) and Moo

Blueberry: a stray mini-lop

At just 1.3 pounds and displaying symptoms of respiratory illness, Blueberry, a male miniature lop-eared bunny, was brought to the San Diego Humane Society (SDHS). Under the dedicated care of veterinarians and volunteers, Blueberry made a remarkable recovery, growing to a healthy weight of 3.6 pounds, and was eventually adopted. However, the adoption did not go as planned, and Blueberry was returned due to his aggressive behavior. This setback left him frustrated and resulted in a week-long period without food. After Blueberry regained his health and rebuilt trust with people, SDHS successfully matched him with another family, leading to a successful second adoption. This exemplifies SDHS’s goal of pairing pets with the right families, giving them the opportunity to settle into stable and loving homes.

San Diego Humane Society (SDHS)

In the United States, more than 70 million stray animals endure freezing temperatures during winter and suffer from heat exhaustion in the summer. Only a fortunate 10% of these animals find their way into shelters. In San Diego, the go-to shelter that comes to mind is the San Diego Humane Society. Founded in 1880, SDHS is the oldest and largest animal shelter in San Diego County. They have made a commitment to avoid euthanasia for healthy and treatable shelter animals. During the 2019-2020 period, SDHS admitted a total of 44,483 animals, including dogs, cats, bunnies, guinea pigs, and more. Once animals enter SDHS, their health is assessed through thorough medical examinations conducted by the shelter’s veterinarians. Subsequently, the animals receive vaccinations and microchips for identification. Additionally, neuter or spay surgeries are performed to prevent unplanned breeding, with SDHS having conducted 17,473 such surgeries during the 2019-2020 period. After completing the necessary pre-adoption procedures, the animals are placed on the adoption list and are ready to find their new homes.

In-person visit to find the most fitted one

When a potential owner expresses interest in a specific animal, SDHS recommends an in-person visit to one of their campuses for a face-to-face meeting with an adoption counselor. During the Covid-19 pandemic, people can opt to call SDHS and speak with an adoption counselor instead. SDHS also follows up with adopters to monitor the animal’s adjustment. Furthermore, the cost of the initial veterinary examination for adopted animals is covered by SDHS. They offer pet behavior and training classes for dogs and cats to help them acclimate to their new families. One special feature of the adoption in SDHS is the returning policy. The owners can return their adopted animals for whatever reasons. This policy greatly not only reduces the opportunity for these animals to get back on the street but also increases potential owner’s adoption willingness

A stable and loving home for every pet

SDHS helped 19,230 animals to find their new home during 2019-2020. Their main mission is to inspire compassion for people and animals. The core adoption philosophy in SDHS is “every pet has the right to a continuous and nurturing relationship with people who convey an enduring sense of love and care.” Therefore, SDHS work hard to match pets to the right families and a chance to finally settle into a stable, loving home. Hopefully, San Diego Humane Society would create a more humane San Diego.