Modesto, Stanislaus County clear animal shelter thanks to coronavirus foster response
They were already man’s best friend, but now during the coronavirus shutdowns, the Central Valley has officially repaid the compliment to our furry friends.
The Stanislaus Animal Services Agency reported it has effectively cleared its Modesto shelter as of last week. Agency Executive Director Annette Patton put out a call last month, right before the statewide stay-at-home order was made, for foster homes to take the shelter’s dogs and cats. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shelter has been closed to the public, except for specific adoptions and other appointments.
“The response has been overwhelming,” she said. “We got over 700 applications. The goal is always to get the animals out of the shelter. We never want animals in the shelter. So this has been amazing.”
The agency posted a picture of staff standing in empty kennels last week on Facebook, thanking the public for its outpouring of support.
Before the pandemic shutdown, the shelter had 190 dogs and 47 cats in need of homes. It currently has between 30 and 40 dogs that are either on medical quarantines or stray holds that cannot be foster or adopted out yet, Patton said. And, she reports, for the first time in its history, it has no cats available.
She estimates some 300 animals total have been placed in foster care to homes across the county and beyond. But as more animals come in, they will likely need foster homes through the crisis.
“Everyone has been so supportive of the fostering program in this community. It’s a win-win for everyone. We want these animal in homes, not the shelter,” Patton said. “That’s why we definitely want to keep this momentum to keep going moving forward and have a strong foster program here.”
And it’s not just fostering. Patton said about 75% of the foster families have decided to permanently adopt their pets. Others who are fostering have offered to take difficult “project” pets to make them more adoptable after the coronavirus shutdowns are over.
Shelter starts seniors pet food drive
The agency is providing all medical and veterinary needs for the foster animals and starts each family out with a bag of pet food. It also has teamed up with the Stanislaus County Department of Aging and Veterans Services to launch a free senior pet food drive.
The program is delivering pet food to seniors in need, along with weekly food deliveries and pickups provided by Aging and Veterans Service department. They are asking for donations to the shelter, either drop-offs or — simpler still — for people to make online pet food orders and have them shipped and delivered to the Modesto animal shelter.
Patton said the first pet food deliveries went out last week, and she estimates a couple hundred pounds of food have been donated so far.
Donations can be shipped to Stanislaus Animal Services Agency, 3647 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, CA 95358. To foster, visit www.stanislausanimalservices.com or call 209-567-4661.
