Volunteer Appreciation: Aiko

Today we celebrate Aiko Hayashi, a long-time volunteer writer for this very blog!

Our bloggers commit to several stories a month, allowing them to fit volunteer work into their schedules. The blog is full of happy post-adoption stories because so many adopters are excited to share stories and pictures of the pets they adopt from Berkeley Humane, but we also cover topics like events, fundraising initiatives, volunteers, animal behavior, and community outreach.

"We have a team of amazing volunteer blog writers who continue to come up with original story ideas for the website. Since I started volunteering, I have seen more and more of those original stories that are both interesting and informative." -Aiko Hayashi

Aiko, Berkeley Humane blogger
and new mom!

Aiko joined the volunteer blogging team during its renaissance under previous Lead Storyteller Maria Stoop. Aiko’s willingness to volunteer for stories made her an indispensable team member for a solid nine months – an auspicious duration, as she recently went on hiatus to welcome her son, Oscar, into the world. Before she left us we grabbed the chance to pepper her with questions about her time blogging for Berkeley Humane.

All of our volunteer bloggers have some background in writing. The group includes published authors, sales and technical writers, and casual bloggers. When she’s not volunteering, Aiko is a journalist with a background in financial and business news, and her training shows in her ability to take a brief summary and turn it into a clear, entertaining story.

“I thought blogging would be a good way to put my experience to use,” she says. “Also, I thought it would be really cool to help put the word out about the work and animals at Berkeley Humane, while also getting a chance to write about something I care about.” 

Aiko's world traveling cat, Wednesday

Aiko wrote on a variety of topics (take a look at all of her stories here) but fundraising stories were among her particular favorites. 

"I really enjoyed writing about the Kitten Season and Donations for Berkeley Humane. I was thrilled to address our readers directly about the important mission at Berkeley Humane and its need for everyone’s support during the very busy kitten season. I also liked writing about Bonaparte, a Bichon Frise pup. Just because he is so adorable and loved so much by his family. And of course, he’s got a great name!”

Berkeley Humane bloggers revel in a parade of wonderful animals and happy adoption stories every week, but the work is not without its challenges.

“Writing something fresh and fun as well as informative on a consistent basis is always a challenge,” Aiko says. “That said, this is exactly why I love being a blog volunteer. It’s not always easy but it’s a worthwhile responsibility (and fun!) without a doubt.”

Wednesday meets baby Oscar for the first time

Aiko always delivered her assigned stories on time, and true to character she delivered her biggest story ahead of deadline: baby Oscar arrived two weeks early on August 21.

Oscar was met at home by Wednesday the cat, whom Aiko adopted when he was five weeks old. "He's quite a world traveler. I got him ten years ago when I was studying in New York, and since then he’s lived with me in Tokyo, Hong Kong and now in California."

Naturally, Aiko wondered how her pet would adapt to the new baby. Wednesday's initial response was wary but positive. 

“Wednesday is cautious but curious about the baby,” says Aiko. “I hope they’ll become best friends! We're making sure he's also getting enough cuddles even after the baby!”

Aiko is taking a well-deserved maternity break from blogging right now, but those of us who worked with her consider ourselves fortunate to have benefited from her skills.

Thank you, Aiko!

Bonus Wednesday!

Interested in expanding your writing repertoire? Berkeley Humane's blog team welcomes new writers! Sign up for volunteer orientation on our website or contact Volunteer Manager Jenn Suzuki.

Going Home: Dexter

Happy Woof Wednesday!

Today we have a fun update on another Berkeley Humane graduate. Meet Dexter, a statuesque young pup formerly known as Buster.

Dexter’s adopter Macaela sent us this note and some photos showing his remarkable transformation – though, it looks like some things haven’t changed, at least as far as his adorable ears are concerned:


“They grow up so fast! Our not so little pup Dexter (aka Buster) has finally grown into his ears.” 

Thanks so much, Macaela, for keeping us updated! We are always thrilled to hear how our animals are doing after leaving Berkeley Humane. And we definitely love photos! If you’d like to hear more about Dexter, you can see our previous post here.


Thinking of adopting an animal this summer? Your timing is perfect because Bark & Meow Around the Block is coming up on Saturday, August 15.

Mark your calendars!

Also, we are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday at Berkeley Humane (2700 Ninth Street, Berkeley CA 94710; 510-845-7735).

Going Home: Thunder

Happy Woof Wednesday!

We hope you’re having a lovely summer. It’s been a while since any rain clouds have appeared in the skies over California, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all enjoy a little Thunder.

Thunder the dog, that is. This little pup, formerly known as TJ, has set more than a few hearts a-rumbling in his new home.

Thunder’s adopter, Kathi, sent us this note:

“Two years coming up and what an affectionate love bug Thunder (formally TJ) is.

He's made friends with other neighborhood dogs - especially the ladies, has a loving pack home & extended family!”

Happy anniversary to you, Kathi and Thunder, and thank you so much for the update! We are so happy to hear Thunder has brought such love and joy into your home!

If you are thinking about adopting a dog or cat, we are here to help.

You can check out our newest arrivals on our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Please come visit us if you’d like to meet the animals face to face. 

We are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday.

Going Home: Roxie

Happy Woof Wednesday!

We hope you had a wonderful Independence Day weekend. Today we have an update on one of our furry friends that will surely add a few more sparkles to your week!

Roxie’s (formerly Winnie) adopter sent us an update … after six years of happy friendship:



“Six years ago my wife and I visited Berkeley Humane looking to add some cuddle to make our household more lively.

We immediately zeroed in on "Winnie" (whom we renamed Roxie). We've never found ourselves for lack of nuzzles or cuddle ever since.”

Thank you so much for keeping us updated. We are always really thrilled to hear how our animals continue to brighten up the lives of the families who take them in. Here’s to many more fun cuddle times in the future!

If you are thinking about adopting a dog or cat, we are here to help. We hope you’ll find your Roxie!

You can check out our newest arrivals on our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Please come visit us if you’d like to meet the animals face to face.

We are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday.

Going Home: Bonaparte

Welcome to Woof Wednesday!

We have a wonderful update on our former resident Bonaparte (formerly known as Davis). We’re so happy to hear he’s adjusting so well and loved by his new family!

His adopter, Nils Skudra, sent us a lovely photo and note:

“Here is a photo of Sarah with Bonaparte. You may remember him. His former name was Davis, and we adopted him last August. 

Small dog, huge personality. Thought it was a great picture of both of them.” 

Thank you so much, Nils, for checking in with us. And happy (almost) one-year anniversary! (Read more about Bonaparte here.)

We’re eager to know how our animals are doing after they leave our facility, and updates like this are always greatly appreciated! We wish you and Bonaparte a long and happy friendship! 

If you are thinking about adopting a dog or cat, we can help. You can check out our newest arrivals on our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Please come visit us if you’d like to meet them in person. 

We are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday.

Berkeley Humane will be at the SF Pride Parade this Sunday, June 28, as a donation partner! We're proud to connect our dogs and cats with animal-loving members of the LGBT community.

Going Home: Nico

Welcome to Woof Wednesday!

Today, we’d like to share a story of Nico (formerly known as Wesley). We’re thrilled to hear this lovely pup is adjusting so well to his new life and making so many new friends!

His adopter, Sunny McKay, sent us a heart-warming note:

“We are so happy to have this sweet pup as part of our family. Nico has two human brothers who shower him with attention.

And he gets to come to the office with me every day where he's made friends with my coworkers and other dogs in the office.

Thank you for rescuing Nico so he can be part of our family!”

Thank you so much, Sunny, for your great update. It sounds like Nico has no trouble attracting new friends, and we wish you and your family many happy, fun moments with your new dog.

If you are thinking about adopting a dog or cat, we can help. You can check out our newest arrivals on our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Please come visit us if you’d like to meet them in person. We are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday.

 This Saturday we're throwing an awesome event to help animals: Pints for Paws!  We've lined up 80 craft beers, ciders, and wines for your enjoyment along with live music and great company. Grab tickets online or pay at the door. See you there!

Going Home: Molly

Happy Woof Wednesday! We’re delighted to share a lovely update on another former resident of Berkeley Humane.

Meet Molly (formerly known as Winn Dixie). We think this fun photo of this adventurous little pup says it all! Here is what her adopter, Ivy Tran, told us in a note:

“Look at how happy Winn Dixie (now named Molly) is! She is the perfect dog and we love her so much!”

A big thanks to Ivy for keeping us updated. Molly looks like she’s having a great time, and we hope you have many fun, wild adventures together!

This weekend, May 30 and 31, are Maddie's Pet Adoption Days, during which we'll waive 100% of the adoption fees! Stop by Berkeley Humane between 10am and 4pm to meet our wonderful adoptable cats, dogs, kittens, and puppies. Check out some of the cats and dogs who might be looking for new homes during the event.

You can also visit our website to learn more about both this exciting event and Maddie's Fund, which makes this Maddie's Pet Adoption Days possible.

Kitten Season is Here, and We Need Your Help

Welcome to Feline Friday! Spring is upon us and the weather grows warm, which can mean only one thing at Berkeley Humane: kitten season has arrived!

Hundreds of adorable baby kittens are coming to our facility, and we are doing our very best both to nurture them and to help them find loving homes. We relish our work, but we can’t do this alone. Caring for the very youngest animals requires a lot of commitment and resources.

If you are interested in helping out this kitten season, you can do so in a number of ways – whether by volunteering your time or by donating food, blankets, toys, or money. You can check out our donation page here.

We are pleased to acknowledge that members of our community have provided an incredible amount of support over the years. Volunteer Barbara Judd is a very good example of the dedication and generosity people have shared.

We’d like to introduce you to Barbara and share her story (which originally appeared in Berkeley Humane’s Spring 2015 newsletter, Mutts & Meows). Our hope is that it will shine a spotlight on the immensely important work she does for us. 

Graduating class of cats (by Sherry Liu)

Barbara Judd, Berkeley Humane’s long-time foster of 16 years, took a break from her extremely important work of caring for neonatal kittens to share her experience of raising 248 cats.

In 1999, Barbara was inspired by her son’s school project that tasked him with the care of a plastic baby. Rather than an inanimate object, Barbara reached out to Berkeley Humane and with the help of her son, fostered her first litter of kittens with real needs. It wasn’t long before her daughter and husband also became involved. Barbara’s first litters were 6 weeks old kittens who needed help growing bigger. As she became more experienced, she began to care for “bottle babies” who needed constant feeding, then finally, the neonates brand new to this world.

“Kittens less than one week old are subject to all sorts of things. Some kittens experience major stress, such as being very cold, before making it to a shelter or to me. Many will get infections.” According to Barbara, the key to helping these fragile newborns survive is to track everything, every step of the way.

Barbara shares that it’s crucial to know each kitten well and to track and understand what is considered normal for each animal. Every kitten eats and eliminates at different times, so without tracking it’s easy to overlook a kitten’s missed meal, and each meal makes a big difference in a kitten’s weight and health.

Having raised and saved the lives of so many kittens, Barbara says caring for neonates are not for fosters who need a lot of sleep. However, there are so many joys that make the nightly routine worthwhile. “Kittens are just really sweet... you really fall in love with them, and sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye, so I call it “graduation”. After they learn all their kitty skills, they graduate and I get another class! It’s really amazing to see all the stages, see them grow up, open their eyes, figure out how their body works, and how to play. They’re very sweet.”

There’s a very special kitten who Barbara nicknamed “Binky” because the litter-mates took turns suckling on Binky’s tiny ears before falling asleep each time. Years later Barbara met a huge cat named Binky and realized it was the same tiny kitten she had cared for and nursed to health. She loved seeing Binky full grown and a part of a happy family, and was able to share with them the story of how the name “Binky” came to be.

In addition to neonatal care, Berkeley Humane’s foster program helps save hundreds of lives each year by providing temporary housing and dedicated care beyond our shelter’s capacity. Our animals are given a chance to grow, heal and socialize before they are adopted into loving homes. Interested in fostering? Visit https://www.berkeleyhumane.org/Foster-Care-Program

Going Home: Domino

Welcome to Woof Wednesday! We have a wonderful update today on another proud graduate of Berkeley Humane.

Domino the pup found a loving family about three years ago, and his adopter, Taya Gorin, has nothing but wonderful things to say about her little furry friend.


“My lovely dog was adopted 3 years ago and his name is Domino. He is about 9-10 years old now. We did not change his name and we assume it was done by Berkeley Humane Animal Shelter.

We love this little furry dog, who is so smart. 

We also like the people we met when we came. Friendly, easy to communicate. We really appreciate all the work you do for those pets. And thank you many times for making us happy.” 


A big thanks to Taya for the thoughtful note! We are delighted to hear Domino is living with such a loving family. And we really appreciate your recognition of our work here at Berkeley Humane. It is happy stories like this that keep us going and motivated to work harder every day to help out these animals.


Are you thinking about adopting a dog or cat this spring? You can check out our newest arrivals on our website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Please come visit us if you’d like to meet them in person. 

We are open for adoptions throughout the weekend - 11 am to 5 pm on Friday-Sunday.

If you are interested in learning about our many dog behavior classes or private training, check out the Dog Training page of our website.