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.

Volunteer Appreciation: Linda J.

December is a very special month for many of us. It is the core of the western holiday season and it can inspire us to feel gratitude for the good things of the year. At the same time, we can look ahead and set up some resolutions for the new year that is to come.

This volunteer appreciation post has a bit of everything that makes December so special. Its core goal is to show our gratitude to one of Berkeley Humane’s most amazing volunteers. It also has wise words for those of us who rank ‘volunteering’ (with Berkeley Humane) under our New Year’s resolutions..

With that said, we would like to introduce you all to Linda J. who has provided the content for this post by being submitting to a Skype call at 8 AM.

Linda's 'foster failure', the charming Gracie.

Linda is an experienced and long-term volunteer who does… well... almost everything. It was graduate school that led her to the Bay Area, and she has been here ever since. Her loyalty to Berkeley Humane is as steadfast: for twenty years or more, she has adopted all her pets from us, including her current bunch: little Gracie the dog (a foster failure: our favorite kind of failure) and the feline brothers Lewis and Morse.

And then, four to five years ago, when Linda was still working in healthcare administration, she started volunteering for the old PAWS program, which worked with seniors and people with disabilities to help them keep their pets. Thereafter, she started coming in once a week for a shift as a canine volunteer. When the practice she worked with was taken over by a larger company, she decided the time had come to retire. Her employer’s loss proved our gain, because soon Linda started taking on other duties alongside her work with Berkeley Humane’s dogs.

The famous duo Morse (black) and Lewis (white).

Currently she leads orientation sessions for new volunteers in the adoption center twice a month. She helps our volunteer manager with administrative tasks and regularly represents Berkeley Humane at special events, such as multi-day adoption events and the famous Solano Stroll. More down-to-earth work like doing laundry, making runs to BACS with overflow supplies, she does with a smile.

Over the years, Linda has seen how Berkeley Humane continues to develop its policy for recruiting and retaining volunteers. She really enjoys the amount of trust she has won and how much freedom to do her chosen work she gets in return. She has also noticed a continuous effort to improve communication with volunteers and ongoing gratitude from Berkeley Humane’s staff. Across the organization, she feels supported – people really make volunteers feel like a vital part of the organization. These last two years Berkeley Humane even organized a Holiday Party for all volunteers, where Linda was surprised with an award for her years of service!

Linda (right) receiving an award from board member Tamara Stanley.

When asked what it takes to be a good volunteer at Berkeley Humane, Linda said: “If you want to do it, you have what it takes.” She mentioned the extreme flexibility offered, where you can volunteer in a two-hour shift once a week, or come in as much as you want. There are even people who make volunteering a family activity: a great way to teach your child the basics of animal care and compassion is to become a parent-child volunteer team. It helps, she says, to be a good team player, to be communicative and ask questions and to take initiative where needed, but the quality you most need, is to be reliable. In return, you will get a lot of gratitude and you can deepen your understanding of animal welfare in a wide variety of ways.

Linda herself says that she has definitely learned a lot: from training in animal handling to getting better at understanding animal behavior, but also the human side of things: how incredibly hard it is on the staff to make tough decisions about animals, and how much it hurts to surrender an adopted animal because of an incompatibility with existing pets. At the same time she says that volunteering at Berkeley Humane has cemented her belief that what pets really want is to be loved. She has also become convinced her that there really is a home for every pet: no matter how eccentric or special, once an animal finds his or her family, it is clear to see that they truly belong together.

With that resounding conclusion, we wrap up our interview with Linda, Berkeley Humane’s truly invaluable volunteer. 

Linda: we are so grateful for all the things you do for the animals in our care, for your fellow volunteers and the assistance you render to our staff. You are amazing! We hope that your wise words will inspire many new volunteers to join the cause of getting more and more animals into families. 

Do you, dear reader, want to know more about volunteering at Berkeley Humane? Look here for more information. We hope to see you at our volunteer orientation soon!

Volunteer Appreciation: Cliff

Happy Thanksgiving! Berkeley Humane is grateful for so much: the support of our wonderful community, the chance to help adoptable animals, dedicated staff who love what they do, and amazing volunteers who help us fulfill our mission. Today we'd like to give thanks to a special volunteer: Cliff.

Two years ago, Cliff and his wife dropped by Berkeley Humane for an event and ran into their friend and Berkeley Humane volunteer, Romy walking a dog as a “canine friend”. Cliff had a lifetime of experience with dogs, he and his wife having welcomed seven rescues into their family over the years. Cliff had trained dogs and knew his way around their behaviors. Talking to Romy about her experiences with Berkeley Humane, he thought he’d found the perfect new opportunity for himself after a thirty-plus year career as a building contractor—working as a Berkeley Humane volunteer.

Cliff signed up and attended a volunteer orientation session. What he remembers from that first meeting was the bathroom. He’d gotten a glimpse of it during the facility tour and could see that the room was in desperate need of help, so far gone that staff and volunteers barely used it. He shared his background as a building contractor with the volunteer coordinator and asked if Berkeley Humane could use any help in that area. Could we? You bet ... and the rest is history. Cliff has been a volunteer with us for the past two years.

After giving the bathroom the TLC it needed, he turned his attention to an under-used space jammed with ancient appliances, no longer in use. Cliff turned the space into a laundry room with shelving to store the tools and parts (nails, screws, nuts & bolts) that he uses in his facility maintenance work.

“Being organized is important,” he said. “If you can’t find something, you end up buying it twice. It's small stuff, but it can drain a budget pretty quick.”

Budget is important for a non-profit organization like Berkeley Humane, and Cliff’s keen eye for organizing and for salvaging items that can be reused, helps make sure that every penny counts towards the Berkeley Humane mission: serving the people and animals of our community by providing life-saving programs for cats and dogs, cultivating compassion, and strengthening the human-animal bond.

While most days you’ll catch Cliff with a hammer in his hand instead of a leash, it doesn’t mean that he has no interaction with the animals. He shared the story of “Meaty”, a love biscuit at Berkeley Humane a couple of years ago with a “head like a cinder block” who greeted everyone with big, loving thwacks from his beater of a tail. Cliff also talked about repairing slip strips on a ramp and having a dog on a walk take a detour to shower him with licky kisses.

Meaty the Greeter

Cliff is as popular with the humans as he is with the canines. His extensive knowledge has made a big difference tackling the problems of the eighty year old building that houses Berkeley Humane.

“It’s like this,” he said. “You go to hang a picture on a wall, only there’s no studs. And then you find out the wall is rotten. And then ...”

Well, and then—Cliff fixes it! It goes without saying that having someone with Cliff’s level of skill is a huge asset.

Cliff looks at it another way. He calls Berkeley Humane his “home away from home”. He talks about how his work at Berkeley Humane helps him keep his skills sharp, and how the organization has made him feel like he’s part of something valuable.

I asked Cliff if he had any advice for folks who were thinking of volunteering at Berkeley Humane. He encouraged people to “just join”—sign up for a volunteer orientation session and don’t be too concerned about defining a role beforehand.

“It’s like life,” he said. “It just happens. Show up and the right role for you will show up too.” 

He commented on how Berkeley Humane is an organization that understands that volunteers “make the place run” and that Berkeley Humane goes the distance to show how much they appreciate the people who donate their time.

What about the other side of the equation—the reward? Cliff said that for him, the reward is just being there.

“Doing something outside of yourself. I get a lot out of it,” he said.

And we are SO glad that you do Cliff. Thank you!

If you’ve got an interest in volunteering, we’ve got a lot of roles at Berkeley Humane—one of them might just be the perfect fit for you. Check us out—we’ll give your skills a good “home away from home.” Learn more about becoming a volunteer on our website. 

Volunteer Appreciation: Foster Phoebe

No foster, no rescue. That's it, really. Well, maybe not quite, but the work foster families do for Berkeley Humane is amazingly important on many levels. First off: they open their homes to animals in need and do what they can to give the animal the environment it needs. They do so knowing that they'll have to say goodbye to that animal again, even when they get attached. But foster families do so much more. By taking animals into their homes, they give very valuable insight into how animals behave in a home situation. This helps us with optimizing the personality evaluation of every animal. Sometimes it also allows us to see if an animal works well with children, dogs or cats, which is valuable information for any prospective adopters. 

For young animals living with a foster family has an extra benefit: it helps socialize them and exposes them to situations that they will also encounter once they find their new homes. For the very young ones, their foster family also plays an important role in providing necessary care. It is the foster family that gets up in the middle of the night to let a whining puppy out to pee. It is the foster family that carefully monitors how much each newborn kitten eats. They make a great difference to each animal that passes through their home.

With that in mind, we want to introduce you to one of our amazing foster people: Phoebe B. 

How long have you been fostering and who was your first foster?

My husband and I began fostering about three months ago. An email was sent out over the 4th of July weekend about fostering some puppies, but unfortunately my response was too slow. Kylie Reed, the foster care coordinator, told us that we could foster an adult dog that week if we liked, and as we were preparing to go to Berkeley Humane, Kylie contacted us and let us know that she unexpectedly had another group of puppies that needed a foster home for a week. I was over the moon, and that is how we got our first fosters, the Frozen Puppies. We started with four the first week, three the next, and only sensitive Sven was left by the third week. Sven was actually so much bigger than his littermates that upon first sight Berkeley Humane staff wondered if he was the mother! By the third week he could easily jump the puppy gates we used to enclose our foster area, but fortunately my husband was home from work that week. He and Sven spent every waking moment together, and Sven was even here for my family-only birthday celebration. Sven was adopted the following weekend, so all that intensive snuggling and socializing appeared to have helped Sven come out of his shell and charm his forever family.

The Frozen Litter

How did you learn to say goodbye to each foster animal?

I feel the puppies are comparatively easier to send off to adoption since they have each other. They may be a little unsettled by all the change, but ultimately puppy psychology is wired towards finding ways to make things fun. Puppies are also in a carrier, so I can't see their little faces when I leave. The older puppy I fostered--Sam Brock--was very hard to give back because it was clear that he was confused as to why he wasn't leaving with his foster family when we dropped him off for adoption. This could have been particularly hard for me since I was especially attached to Sam, and I am hopeful that future partings will be less emotional. We are relatively new fosters, so we'll have to see if we get better at letting go, but it is a personal goal of mine to maintain more equipoise when facing impermanence, so this is a prime opportunity.

Who was your favorite foster animal?

Sam Brock charmed everyone in my family, including my prickly chug-huahua Gilly. We brought Sam home a week or so after the Frozen Pups, and we learned that the only dog who could be contained by our gates was apparently Gilly. Like Sven, Sam too could go where he liked in the house, so he was never far from us since we had to keep an eye on him at all times. Gilly is such a tough old bird that she would cringe away from Sam whenever he touched her, but finally one day they both snuggled up in my lap, and that was a really touching moment. He and Gilly made a handsome pair, and we got a lot of compliments when we took them out for their walks. I will admit that one of the reasons I began fostering is that I feel I have a little more love to give than Gilly wants to absorb, and Sam was so thrilled with me, loving my songs and dances and clearly wanting to be close to me whenever possible. He came so far during his short week with us, getting house trained and learning to walk on leash. Giving Sam up to go to his forever home was one of the hardest things I've had to do in recent memory: he is a treasure, and I'm sure his new owners adore him.

Who was your most challenging foster animal?

Cindy Lou Who of the Seuss pug pups was by far my most challenging foster. Her personality blends a potent mixture of smart and mischievous, so she got into plenty of high jinks. The moment requiring the most patience was when I had come home after a particularly hot and hard day to discover that the puppies had done a creative origami project with their pee pads. It took a good deal of time to clean up that adventure, especially since I had pug puppies bouncing all over the place while I was doing it. I finally got the foster area spotless and was placing their clean water dish on the floor when Cindy Lou Who leaped up and knocked it from my hand. It was an important moment because after I refilled the bowl I stood calmly, holding out my hand in the direction of the puppies while making a shushing sound. I was shocked when they all sat down and looked up curiously into my face. I realized that I could ask even these young puppies for what I needed, just like I do with my own adult dog. It was incredible. Even Cindy Lou Who, who pushed the boundaries the most because she is so smart would really communicate with me.

Cindy Lou Who

What is the hardest part of fostering? What's the most rewarding?

My husband and I don't have a car, so our first foster experience was exciting since we were carrying 15+ lbs of puppy and crate home on our 20-minute walk. We were fully committed and wouldn't dream of setting the crate down, but it was hard, especially in this summer's heat. Now my good friend generously shuttles the fosters who are too young to walk to and from our house, and that has been a huge help. For me the worst part is the third day after the puppies get adopted. They are so much work that at first you are a little grateful for a break, but when you wake up on the third day your mind and body have forgotten all the hard parts, and it is a little tough to fully embrace that they are gone. The most rewarding aspect is the knowledge that you are shaping the desirability of someone's future companion. It is a heady business knowing that you are sharing time with this animal that will someday be a beloved part of another family. It's fun to try and think of simple little skills you can impart that will make the dogs even more adoptable, and my favorite trick is teaching the puppies to sit calmly and patiently during food preparation and presentation, which is a trait that is easily cultivated through reward. Of course it is always important to utilize the positive training methods endorsed and utilized by Berkeley Humane. I will also mention that the fosters are the only creatures that appear to be enchanted by my impromptu song and dance performances. My own dog seems rather resignedly humiliated by my melodious narration of daily events, so a receptive audience is more than welcome!

The Seuss Puppies

How has fostering changed your life?

I think we often don't realize how much we are capable of until we simply have to do it. Before I started fostering I wondered where I would find the time and energy, but when you are responsible for the well being of innocents, you just find a way. I really appreciated how the fosters took up a lot of my focus and energy throughout the week, leaving little time for dwelling on less important matters. It's strangely freeing to do something so consuming, particularly when it has such a happy ending. Having the fosters made me invite more people to my home to allow for socializing the puppies, and many of my friends and family have been inspired to find their own puppies, so honestly my choice to foster through Berkeley Humane has changed several lives, and all for the better.

Is fostering time consuming?

Each situation is likely unique, but I do find that the fosters take a lot of time and commitment. I think that could be my own personal choice for the older puppies and dogs, but I spend much of my free time with the fosters. Puppies are going to be a lot of work for anyone, and it really helped me appreciate the important role of mother dogs. As cute as the puppies are, to ensure a pleasant experience for both puppies and humans, you must have plenty of time in your day to foster little ones.

The dapper Sam Brock

How does Berkeley Humane support you in your fostering?

Berkeley Humane provides wonderful support, including advice via many communication methods and supplies during the fostering period. The monthly foster availability form makes it easy to communicate, and all staff and volunteers have been enthusiastic and responsive.

What motivates you to continue fostering?

It is exciting to get a new dog, and fostering allows you to have a new animal in your home on a relatively regular basis. If you have a pet who is a little stingy with affection, caring for foster animals can inspire your own pet to invest more vigorously in the pet-owner relationship. I feel proud to be a foster parent, and it gives me lots of great stories to share with my friends and colleagues. It is hard to explain exactly why it is so wonderful, but I think it has to do with the fact that you really are helping your community, growing and learning the entire time, but in the end it just feels like you're having fun with puppies and sweet dogs!

Phoebe, thank you and your husband for what you do for the animals that enter your home. We could not do it without you!

Do you want to help and, like Phoebe, liven up your life with furry houseguests? Go here to learn what you need to do to help us help animals. 

Volunteer Appreciation: Melissa

Volunteer Melissa and her husband Jake have made some interesting deals the past few years. Interesting, because when Melissa and Jake make a deal, animals in need seem to benefit.

Take for example, how Melissa came to be a volunteer at Berkeley Humane. When Jake received a San Francisco job offer, the couple made a deal: if Melissa went along with the plan to move across two state lines, she wouldn’t have to work. Done and done. But with her long history of volunteer work with animals, once she got here, Melissa jumped on an opportunity at Berkeley Humane to volunteer as a part-time thank-you caller. A perk of the new gig was meeting all the wonderful dogs the staff brought by to say “hello”.

One day someone brought a one-eyed Shih Tzu named “Leo” for a visit. Turns out that Melissa and Jake’s family included two cats and two dogs: and that one of the dogs (James) was also a one-eyed Shih Tzu. And so a second deal had to be struck: they would foster, but wouldn’t add any animals to their family.

And so Melissa’s volunteer duties as thank-you caller expanded to include being a foster. Berkeley Humane staff started calling her house “the zoo”. She became a greeter and started working events… Melissa has even been known to make unscheduled Costco runs to get needed supplies because, well—Melissa is just that kind of person.

"Zoo" resident James (left), guests Ellie (right)
and the amazing Maggie (center) go for a walk

I had the opportunity to chat with Melissa about volunteering at Berkeley Humane and her foster experience. She and Jake have been fostering for about a year: twenty dogs and one cat have been guests in their home. I asked Melissa about letting go. How do you say goodbye when an animal joins a new family?

While saying goodbye is difficult, Melissa said it feels great to know that you’ve helped an animal gain skills that will help them become part of their new family. With the foster volunteer, the animal learns or re-learns what it’s like to be in a home, and that it’s okay to be touched. Animals experience—maybe for the first time, what it’s like to be loved in the care of fosters like Melissa.

I asked if there were any fosters that made she and Jake reconsider their second deal (no more animals).

“There were three,” she tells me, and shares the story of one: Maggie the Chihuahua, her second dog foster. Maggie was smart as a whip and got along great with their other dogs and cats. Melissa and Jake made a side deal: if Maggie weren’t adopted by a certain date, they’d welcome her into their family. Maggie was adopted the day before, and the second deal stood.

But sometimes ‘goodbye’ is really ‘see you later’. Because Melissa is a volunteer, she has the opportunity to meet people who might eventually adopt the animals she has fostered. Some of the new adopters stay in touch, share pictures. This year, she and Jake are having a Halloween party and three former foster dogs and their adopters will be there.

“Fostering takes work but it’s rewarding,” she said. “You get to see an animal become well socialized, learn to live with people and other animals.” Melissa shared that many of the foster animals have gone through multiple shelters or been homeless before they arrive at Berkeley Humane. It takes a few days for them to relax. “It’s very rewarding when that happens,” she said. “You get to see the real personality of the animal emerge.”

Jake spoon feeds three-legged Tika as
she recovers from a respiratory infection

Her advise to new fosters is, “Give it two days: let yourself get used to the animal and the animal get used to you and the new environment.” She said it takes about forty-eight hours to win an animal’s trust. Not much time when you consider that fostering is often the first step an animal takes toward becoming a cherished family member.

Melissa and Jake coordinate their schedules so they can work together when an animal comes into their home for the first time, just to make sure everyone’s needs are met. Melissa shared the story of she and Jake bathing a new dog. After the bath the dog shook itself, like dogs do—but with each shake, loose stool the dog was unable to control splattered the couple and their bathroom. A calm Jake helped Melissa clean the dog off and handed her the leash. “Take her outside and don’t come back for a half hour. I’ll take care of this.” Now that’s some teamwork.

Two of the Oakland litter, Nephrite & Kunzite

The second deal about no more animals held until last spring. Delta (you can read her story here) was a community cat that needed a special home. Her two kittens, Epsilon and Zeta had been socialized and adopted. But Delta needed a place where she could be safe and cared for, but still live the community cat lifestyle she was used to. Melissa and Jake welcomed Delta to their back yard where she is now the newest member of their family. Jake renamed her “Loophole” because Delta was the loophole in that deal he and Melissa had made. Loophole (formerly Delta) knows her new name, comes for food every morning and has bonded with their two indoor-outdoor cats.

Melissa notes that Berkeley Humane goes out of their way to make it easy for volunteers who foster. She said that BH offers an incredible variety of supportive resources. Anything from a gallon of Nature’s Miracle for those oops moments to clothing for a dog with the shivers, diapers—even advice on how to get through situations that might be new to a foster volunteer.
"Like what?" I asked. Melissa laughed and told me about the first time she fostered puppies: two from the “Oakland” litter—each named with a letter from the city because there were six puppies and the mother. Kylie Reed, Berkeley Humane’s Foster Care Coordinator was on hand to give Melissa plenty of support as she learned the ins and outs of puppyhood and how to function on not a lot of sleep—a skill that is going to be very handy in the not too distant future. Melissa and Jake recently learned that they are to be first time parents. Will the new addition be a future Berkeley Humane volunteer? Time will tell.

Beware! Puppy teething!

Meanwhile, we extend our heartfelt thanks to volunteer Melissa (and Jake). May their love, commitment and compassion for the work come back to them many times over as this next chapter in their life unfolds. And we’ll look forward to hearing about any new deals!

There's a saying:"It's in giving that we receive." If you'd like to experience giving as one of our wonderful Berkeley Humane volunteers, we'd love to hear from you. Chances are you've got a talent that would make a difference. Visit our volunteer page to learn more.

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.

Volunteer Appreciation: Tami and Tom

If you've visited the Berkeley Humane Society in the last two years, there's a strong chance you've met a cat or dog who's been cared for by Tami or Tom (respectively). The Berkeley couple's living situation prohibits them from having pets at home, but after passing by the shelter on the way to nearby Ironworks so many times, they turned to volunteering. For them, it's a natural way to help animals while, in Tami's words, "also getting our puppy/kitty 'fix'."

Tami and Tom have been donating their time and energy
to Berkeley Humane since 2013

With so much love and attention spread generously across all the animals they've come in contact with, there have been a few standout personalities over the years.

In Tami's case, one of them very nearly was a rock star: "Pat Benatar," as she was known at the shelter, "Was an amazing polydactyl kitty who loved to play by chasing my hand under the towel in her cage. She would pounce on it with both of her enormous front paws...so cute! Her personality was much larger than her small frame." Tami was lucky to be on site the day that Pat Benatar was adopted – by a runner for the studio where Metallica records! Talk about namesake pairing.

Recently, Tom got to work with Oktoberfest, "just a big lovable beast with a great spirit." Hopefully you can learn more about Oktoberfest's new family in a future Going Home post, because he was adopted out! His happy energy is forever captured through this video (and not just through his commitment to tennis balls):

But a good dog is a good dog, and size doesn't matter for which canines make volunteering so uplifting. "I also volunteer Monday nights at Puppy Kindergarten training," Tom says. "Puppies are of course another super fun part of our volunteer work." (Author's Note: I dare you to imagine "Puppy Kindergarten" without smiling.)

Unsurprisingly, the regular act of letting go can be tough. "If I am lucky, I only see each animal once," Tami said. Yet, envisioning the cats' and dogs' futures helps. "When I see a kitty week over week I do get attached, but once I find out from Staff who has adopted them, I can imagine what their new home may be like and it helps to let them go."

The other reality to preparing Berkeley Humane's animals is filling in their incomplete pasts enough to properly serve the animal. "The ones that are skittish or difficult to approach can be challenging," Tom admitted. "Especially since we never really know their history. Overcoming bad experiences is probably one of the biggest challenges we face."

Often, it's by the sheer wills of volunteers like Tami and Tom that these dogs and cats get a new starting point to launch from. It's why they do what they do. "I love seeing the adoption board full of familiar names," Tami says. "It's particularly gratifying when I see a name of an animal I know has been harder to adopt out."

"Volunteering has increased my joy and empathy and helps remind me every week to slow down," Tami says.

Tom holding the Puppy Kindergarten Valedictorian

"Completely agree," adds Tom. "So much of life gets away from us with stress being a constant drain. Spending time with the animals is a great way to reset the week and enjoy moments with some four-legged friends."


The two feel so rejuvenated by volunteering that it's truly integrated into their own well-being as humans, and they don't view it as time consuming. "Tami and I volunteer during the same shift, and it fits nicely in with our usual routine for that day. With the dogs, it honestly goes by so fast – sometimes I don't even have enough time to spend with each animal."

"It's been easy to commit to because it's baked into my schedule and I know I can rely on it. On the weeks I have to cancel, I really miss being there." Tami says.

In between all those weekly visits to Berkeley Humane, Tami and Tom also recommend working at least one event a year. "[It] really inspires us because we get to see how the organization has a positive effect on the community."

It's win-win-win with these two, the cats and dogs they care for, and Berkeley Humane! Many thanks to Tami and Tom for all of their hard work and dedication.

Tami and Tom are just part of the excellent volunteer team that keeps Berkeley Humane running. From animal volunteers to videographers to truck drivers – if you've got the time, there's probably a talent you can lend, too. For more information, visit our Volunteer page!

Foster Feature: Aileen

When Aileen Alfandary’s beloved 14-year-old dog Sonia (who’d been adopted from Berkeley Humane) died a few months ago, the time felt right to open her home to other dogs. 

 “We'd had her nearly 12 years and I missed the doggie presence in the house," explains Aileen. “Fostering works well as we're not able to adopt a dog at this point.”  

Since then, the doggie presence in Aileen’s house hasn’t let up as adoptable pets like Miss Rose, Mushi, Sugar, Elsa, Manhattan, and others have come to stay a while before moving on to new homes with their adopters. 

Mushi

In addition to helping Berkeley Humane save more animals, fostering reduces stress, improves human-animal bonding, and helps shy animals learn how to be house pets. For example, Aileen helped guide one nervous pup toward confidence. “The first dog I fostered was little Mushi who had undergone surgery and was at first hesitant that anyone touching him was going to hurt him," she says. “After we got past that barrier he was super excited every morning when I came down to feed him and take him for a walk.”

Sugar

Foster care providers like Aileen provide physical assistance as well as emotional nourishment. One five-month-old puppy required medicine and love to address respiratory troubles. “She worried me when she didn't want to eat or drink much before Berkeley Humane got her started on antibiotics,” Aileen says. “She wanted to be picked up and held pretty constantly. It was like having a newborn baby or toddler all over again.” The puppy healed quickly and went on to a happy adoption.

"It's fun to suss out each dog's very distinct personality but what they've all had in common is how much they want to give and receive affection." - Aileen Alfandary, foster care provider

Miss Rose

When it’s time to send her charges to Berkeley Humane for adoption weekends, Aileen says goodbye with an upbeat attitude. “I've grown very fond of every dog I've fostered and am hopeful they'll be adopted by a loving human or humans," she says. “I hope I'm giving them a good experience along the road to a permanent home.”

Fostering dogs continues to be one way Aileen honors her departed pet Sonia. “There's a doggie sized hole in my heart following the death of our dog and fostering goes a long way towards filling it.”

Aileen, we thank you for the time and love you’ve given to fostering adoptable dogs for Berkeley Humane. Here’s to many more happy dog stories in your life!


If you’re interested in opening your home and heart to adoptable pets, Berkeley Humane would love to hear from you. We provide food, bedding, toys, any medications needed, personality notes and history on each animal, and endless support. Learn more on our Foster Care page.

Volunteer Appreciation: Monty and Ming, MAC drivers (and more)

Rumbling past you on the roads or parked and invitingly open at events — have you seen our amazing Mobile Adoption Center or MAC? 

After a Berkeley Humane executive and a volunteer drove it home to Berkeley from Ohio, we formally opened it with a ribbon-cutting ceremony overseen by none other than Grumpy Cat herself. (Check out our pictures from that star-struck day here.)

The MAC travels around the Bay Area carrying adoptable pets and Berkeley Humane volunteers to far-flung events. 

The MAC at its ribbon-cutting ceremony, January 24, 2015.
Photo by JennyDee Photography.

In addition to increasing pet adoptions, the MAC opens up new volunteer opportunities and boosts Berkeley Humane’s presence in the community.

Our volunteer MAC drivers see the Bay, connect with the public, and help adoptable pets find their new homes. It’s rewarding work -- take it from Monty Lee and Ming Wang, two Berkeley Humane volunteers who count MAC driving among their skills.

Both volunteers have been driving the MAC since it arrived in Berkeley in August 2014. MAC training broadened their volunteer horizons: in addition to helping out at the shelter they can drive the MAC to an event, connect with community members, counsel potential adopters, and facilitate adoptions on the spot.

What drew you to working with the MAC?

Ming: “The potential of bringing Berkeley Humane animals to wider range of adopters.”

Monty: “The chance to experience all facets of Berkeley Humane operations: animal handling, adoption counseling, meeting and discussing Berkeley Humane with interested parties, and adoption processing.”

Training to drive the MAC, Ming says, was a whirlwind of information. “But the animal behavior section of the training is really helpful because we can monitor how the animals are during the car ride and also during the event.” She practiced on the streets around Berkeley Humane to get comfortable with the vehicle. 

Monty, who already had some experience driving RVs and large vehicles, agrees with Ming’s assessment. Training, he says, “was a great experience learning about the history of Berkeley Humane, its operating philosophy, and an overview of how animals come to the facility, get adopted, and are followed up on after adoption.”

What’s the coolest part of MAC driving?

Ming: “Working with cute doggies and kitties!”

Monty: “The most satisfying thing is to see a happy adoption — especially with children involved. Also, working with Berkeley Humane staff. They have been very supportive and exhibit genuine care and empathy for the animals.”

Ming Wang and fellow volunteer Denis Yurchikov collecting donations
for Berkeley Humane at Pride.

Not only does the MAC house adoptable dogs and cats — it’s also an effective mobile billboard for Berkeley Humane. “A lot of people are curious about MAC, especially the inside, so they always want a tour,” says Ming. “Some kids gets excited when they see the MAC driving on the street because of the animal pictures on the side.”

 While people clearly love the MAC, how do the animals inside react? “In most cases the animals are calm, cool, and collected, probably because staff is careful about the animals selected to travel based on knowing the animals' behavior,” says Monty. “Cats are mostly OK with it,” says Ming. “Some dogs require more petting.” 

Because the MAC is 100% volunteer-operated, Berkeley Humane always has an eye out for new volunteers. Interested in chauffeuring dogs and cats to adoption events? Fill out a volunteer application or examine other volunteer options with us. 

What advice would you give to potential MAC volunteers?

Ming: “Be open to talk to all kinds of people and kids.”

Monty: “Enjoy engaging with the public and getting the message out about adoptions generally and Berkeley Humane in particular.”

Berkeley Humane is grateful to Monty and Ming for their time and dedication. Volunteers like these two don’t only help the shelter, they also help adoptable animals of the Bay Area and our general community. Thank you, Ming and Monty!

Foster Feature: Phoebe

Happy Feline Friday! Today we are featuring one of Berkeley Humane's foster care providers. 

Berkeley Humane relies heavily on a network of foster providers to socialize and care for its animals before they are adopted.  Our dogs and cats spend a significant portion of their time with devoted fosters who welcome them into their homes, where the animal can stretch their legs and learn what it's like to be in a home setting. This helps dogs and cats to avoid the stress of being in a shelter and allows their wonderful personalities to shine through.

This week, we are talking to Phoebe, a volunteer who has been fostering cats for two years. Here is what she has to say about her experiences:

How long have you been fostering and who was your first foster?

I started fostering in February 2013. My first foster was a 12 year old, overweight, Himalayan-looking cat named Queen Latifah. Because she was older, it took a while to find an adopter so I had her for about 6 or 8 weeks. She had obviously lived in a loving home at some point, but her fur and skin were in pretty bad shape; she likely lived with someone who was no longer able to properly care for her due to their own age or health. With regular brushing and a good diet her coat improved immensely in just that short time I had her (she still had a ways to go on the weight control issue, though, so hopefully her adopter has been able to help her slim down a bit!). She was a great first foster for me because she was very mellow, quiet, and low maintenance, which made it easy since I really didn’t know what fostering would be like.

How did you learn to say goodbye to each foster animal?

It’s hard. I’ve been lucky that I’ve had friends or family adopt a number of my fosters which makes it much, much easier. But when I don’t know where they’ll end up it’s always difficult.  Dropping them off for adoptions, knowing I may not see them again, is emotional. Just a week ago, Creedence, a mama cat who was with me for almost 3 months, went up for adoption (and she was adopted right away!); it was tough to say goodbye and strange not having her around for the first few days. The key is remembering that it will so much better for them to start their new lives in new households where they can be the ‘primary’ cats. They have great temporary homes with me, but their space is limited, and I’m sure going back and forth to the adoption center is confusing and stressful for them. They deserve permanent homes and the sooner they can find them the better. 

Who was your favorite foster animal?

Honestly I don’t know if it’s possible to have a favorite – they are all so special and so different. It would be like choosing a favorite child. I often foster litters of kittens, and my favorite kitten within the litter changes almost daily (…often the one I’m holding at any given time is my favorite).
Having said that, I would probably have to say that Willie is my favorite… because he’s the one I adopted . His Berkeley Humane name was Avos and he was part of a mama-and-babies litter I had right after Latifah. He had a very bad, very persistent eye infection while I was fostering him. For a while I thought he would lose the eye, but the vet at Berkeley Humane kept trying different antiviral and antibiotic combinations and it finally got better, without permanent damage. But I think I developed a special bond with him during that time (and nicknamed him “One-eyed Willie”), and I just couldn’t give him up.

Who was your most challenging foster animal?

I had a “litter” of kittens once, about 8 weeks old, but it became quickly apparent that at least one of them was not related to the others. It’s a rare situation, but I’ve heard it does sometimes happen that the originating shelter (where Berkeley Humane gets them) will put unrelated kittens together and call them a litter. I think they were probably docile during their short stay at Berkeley Humane before going out to foster because they were understandably confused and scared. But when they got to my house they started to hiss at each other and fight, and it was clearly not play-fighting. Three of them seemed to be okay with each other, but the fourth little girl was aggressive and antisocial. The Berkeley Humane foster coordinator offered to find another foster home for her but by then they’d been with me for the first night and I decided to try to make it work. After a few days they settled down and accepted each other. But it was clear to me that the one little girl did not know how to interact with other kittens. We don’t know what her background was, of course, but it seems likely to me that she had little or no socialization with either other kittens or humans. I only had her a few weeks and I hope that in those few weeks she improved a bit through interaction with me and her adoptive siblings. On top of her behavioral issues she had persistent diarrhea (which may have contributed to the behavior, if she didn’t feel well). I nick-named her Lizard because she was small and wiry with a tiny head and beady eyes, and looked a bit like a reptile. I definitely grew to love the little devil, but she was a challenge.


Thank you to Phoebe for all of her valuable work and her willingness to answer our questions on top of it! Stay tuned for part 2 of her interview and more foster care provider interviews!

At Berkeley Humane, we are always looking for foster providers. Berkeley Humane provides all of the necessary food and supplies and is available for support for all of its fosters-- you just add the care, love, and time! Read about becoming a foster carer on our website and fill out an application form!

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