Volunteer Appreciation: Judy Cohen

Superstar volunteer Judy Cohen combines her dedication to animals and decades of administrative experience to support Berkeley Humane's financial and HR office.

Judy retired in 2014 after a long career working for the Peralta Colleges. She began as the financial aid administrator for the old Vista college, spent 22 years as the Financial Aid Supervisor at Laney, and then closed her career in the District Office as Director of Financial Aid for all four colleges.

After such a busy and stimulating work life, Judy knew that she wanted to keep active in retirement. In addition to enjoying the outdoors, swimming and hiking, Judy also makes volunteering a regular part of her life. She says:

I decided long before retirement that I wanted to volunteer. Knowing how much I love all animals, it was my daughter who suggested Berkeley Humane. I've lived in the Bay Area for over 40 years; familiar with the work of Berkeley Humane, I thought it a great way to help as well as keep myself active and thinking. I attended the orientation and volunteered to be in the administrative offices. I thought so many volunteers would rather work within the shelter, but with my background I could really help the most in the office.

Judy ended up volunteering in Berkeley Humane’s finance department, using her decades of experience to file, enter data, and wrangle numbers like a pro.

Berkeley Humane is so grateful for Judy’s expert support and cheerful presence. Roxy Rogalski, Berkeley Humane’s Accounting and HR Manager, had this to say about Judy’s work in the financial office:

Our finance department consists of two employees and Judy! Judy does everything from creating our annual files, boxing everything up, matching reports, inventory… you name it, and Judy does it. She always has a smile on her face, a wonderful sense of humor, and is always willing to step in and go above and beyond.

“I love working for Roxy and Ellen [Monroe, Director of Finance and Human Resources],” Judy continues.“And best of all, I get to visit with Ellen's awesome dog, Sami and treat her with carrots.” 

In addition to her regular hours in the financial office, Judy also volunteers at Berkeley Humane special events. One of her favorite experiences has been the Grumpy Cat event in January 2015, when the mobile adoption unit was revealed. “So many pets and children,” she recalls: “Grumpy [was] such a rock star.”

Image courtesy of the Furrtographer.

Grumpy Cat grudgingly receives the adoration of her loyal subjects. For more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page.

Photo credit: JennyDee Photography

The Mobile Adoption Center (MAC) is a custom-built 26' RV that allows Berkeley Humane to extend its life-saving mission beyond its brick-and-mortar location. 

Judy herself is a devoted cat lover. She looks after three cats: Winnie, a Norwegian Forest cat; Fina, a Maine Coon mix; and Mister, a one-eyed feral male whose friendship Judy has been cultivating for almost eight years. 

At last, Judy says, 

“Mister has accepted as his ‘human.’ He lost sight in his eye about seven years ago after what appeared to be a fight with a raccoon. I fed him antibiotics folded in cream cheese and he recovered. Now we are good friends, but the other females are wary of him. I can pet his head and he even comes into the kitchen in the morning to say hello. He thinks the yard is his private castle.”

Fina and Mister (black cat). In a rare
congenial moment, Fina
and Mister actually share a lounge chair. 

Judy and her 17-year-old Winnie, her "true love."

Judy: "Winnie... my Norweegie!"

If Judy wasn't busy enough, she also volunteers at the Albany Senior Center, because "adults need support too!" She is the treasurer of their fundraising unit, the Friends of Albany Seniors, and a member of the "Friends" board. She is also considering taking on yet another volunteer role, perhaps with veterans.

Beyond her volunteer work, Judy says: "I am married to a super man, now together for thirty years, and feel so fortunate to live in such a beautiful area and close to my lovely talented newly married daughter and the best son-in-law on the planet. I walk their dogs."

In closing, Judy had this wise advice for those interested in volunteering: “Wherever you volunteer, make sure it is from your heart.”

Thank you Judy, for all of the work that you do at Berkeley Humane and in your community!


If you're feeling inspired by Judy's story, there are plenty of ways for you to get involved. Says Jenn Suzuki, Berkeley Humane's volunteer coordinator:

Passionate and committed volunteers are vital to our success, and are integrated into every area of our operation. Whether it’s walking dogs, cuddling cats, working with data, or chairing an event committee, there are countless ways for volunteers to get involved. 

Have a special skill? Lots of love for cats and dogs, and an eagerness to do what you can? Learn more at berkeleyhumane.org/get-involved.

Going Home: Raisin

TGIFF: it's Feline Friday!

To start the weekend off right, we have a short and sweet Going Home announcement for a short and sweet little kitty named Raisin.

Raisin was just a few months old when she found her snuggly new home with Amanda B. 

Amanda sent us this update via our Facebook page:

"Hi! I adopted Raisin a couple of weeks ago. Just wanted to let you know she is such a love. Thank you so much!!!"

Thank you, Amanda, for giving this itty bitty kitty her new home sweet home!

Want to welcome a new feline into the family? Berkeley Humane's Adoption Center is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays 11 AM – 5 PM. Come on by and see if your new kitty is waiting for you!

Going Home: Rocky

Happy Woof Wednesday, animal lovers! Or perhaps we should say, Happy "Worf" Wednesday, because this week we're celebrating the adoption of a winsome little pup called Worf, who is now rocking his new moniker "Rocky."

The dog formerly known as Worf.

Adopter Maria shared a cheerful update with us: sounds like Rocky is getting nice and comfortable in his new home! Says Maria: 

"[Worf] ended up being the perfect fur baby for me and I'm so happy I adopted him! His new name is Rocky and he's settling in really well! He is already potty trained and he doesn't do anything he's not supposed to. He's really sweet and friendly to all humans and dogs!" 

Rocky, cuddling champion.

She finished with this question:

I was wondering if you have any idea on his background? I know most of the dogs are usually strays, but I thought it didn't hurt to ask.

Thanks for the update, Maria! We thought many people might be curious about where Berkeley Humane's adoptable animals come from, so we decided to ask Sherry Liu, the Marketing and Individual Giving Manager, to shed some light on the subject. 

Q&A with Sherry:

Where do the animals at Berkeley Humane come from? 

We partner with municipal shelters across the entire East Bay, as far north as Martinez, as far south as Fremont, and we go to Stockton as well. Since municipal shelters generally provide animal control, and must accept any kind of surrenders, for any reason, at any time, our ability to intake our animals from them help alleviate their overcrowding.

How much do you know about the animals' histories before they make it to Berkeley Humane?

Some animals are surrendered to municipal shelters by their guardians, whereas other animals are strays found on public streets. The length of time an animal spends at a municipal shelter before coming into our care also varies. This means the amount of information passed on to the municipal shelter, as well as the information passed on by them to us, can vary widely. Often we learn more about the animals we intake through behavior assessments and medical examinations than we receive from the source shelter.

Does Berkeley Humane accept animals directly? 

We do not. Independent humane societies like us generally do not accept direct public surrenders.

What's the farthest away an animal has ever come?

Since the amount of information provided to us can be spotty, it’s difficult to say. However, it’s with regularity that we take in animals from Fremont and Stockton.

Any particularly memorable animal intake stories?

Plenty. However, it is often most gratifying when we’re able to take in an animal who has a medical need. They are often overlooked and the last ones to find loving homes, if it happens at all. Being able to provide medical care that shortens an animal’s stay in the shelter system from many months—sometimes years—to just a few weeks, and being able to help the animals who need it most means a lot to us.

Thank you, Sherry! Every year, Berkeley Humane helps hundreds of dogs to find loving new homes, and each has their own unique story. To read more heart-warming and tail-wagging happy endings, check back each Wednesday for a  new Going Home post. 

Adopted a pet from Berkeley Humane and have your own update to share? Whether it was last week or 5 years ago, we'd love to hear from you! Share your story and pet pictures on our Facebook page!

Going Home: Poco Loco

Welcome to Woof Wednesday, animal lovers! There's nothing more satisfying than seeing an adopted animal relax with their new family. Poco Loco, our pooch of the week, is no exception. From his glamour shots to candid snaps at home, Poco Loco is clearly a dog with some personality. Just look at that face!

Adopter Sarah shared some update photos and quotes from Poco Loco himself. It looks like he's living up to his name and a little crazy in love with his new pad. What a beautiful smile! 

"Hi my name is Poco Loco and I found my forever home today." -Poco Loco

"Look at me I'm already crate training and loving it!!!"-Poco Loco 

Thank you for the update, Sarah, and for giving this playful spirit the tools he needs to thrive in his new home.

If you’re interested in learning more about training your new puppy or teaching an old dog some new tricks, Berkeley Humane offers several behavior classes for pups and their people. Check them out and see if one of them is right for you!