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| News |
| Please visit our facebook page for even more SVACA news. |
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| Board of Directors Honors Staff and Foster Parents |
SVACA Foster Parents are Awesome!
Way to Go, Ben and Antje!
At a recent meeting, the Board of Directors thanked some of our wonderful foster parents for their hard work in 2010. Due to their dedication to the animals, SVACA fostered 85% more animals than in 2009 which resulted in the saving of many lives and a significant increase in SVACA's live release rate.
While all SVACA staff heroically perform their duties on a regular basis with little to no fanfare, they annually honor one another by voting for those who went above and beyond. Antje Morris (Best Represents What SVACA Is) and Benjamin Munoz (Team Member of the Year & Best Attitude) were selected by their peers as the top staff of 2010. Chairman Jamie Matthews and Vice-Chairman Rich Waterman thanked them for their compassionate work for people and animals alike. |
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| The Birth of Friends of SVACA |
 Caryn Linn, President of Friends of SVACA, recently wrote an article for Bay Woof about the founding of the nonprofit group that diligently works to help SVACA’s animals. Read the article at www.baywoof.com |
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| SVACA Receives Safety Award |
The Special District Risk Management Authority (SDRMA) Board of Directors selected SVACA as the SDRMA Workers’ Compensation - small member recipient of the McMurchie Excellence in Safety Award for 2009. The award was presented to SVACA’s Shelter Manager Michael Limper at the annual SDRMA/CSDA conference in Indian Wells. Safety is very important to all of us here at SVACA and we take every precaution possible to ensure a safe and secure animal care center for our employees, volunteers and visitors. |
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| Volunteers Make SVACA Go! |
We recently honored our volunteers for generously donating 3,400 hours of their time in 2008! Over one hundred volunteers helped SVACA in a variety of ways last year. Volunteers are essential to SVACA's programs and services. Please click here to learn more about how you can help SVACA help the animals.
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| SVACA Board Thanks Volunteers |
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Two volunteers were recently honored at a SVACA Board Meeting. Caryn Linn was congratulated for a job well done as she founded the Friends of SVACA and Kathleen Flynn was thanked for her work in helping to make our Barktoberfest event such a terrific success.
Thanks, Caryn! Standing with Caryn from left to right are: Will Kennedy, SVACA Board Vice-Chairperson; Jane Kennedy, SVACA Board Chairperson; Dan Soszynski, SVACA Executive Director.
Great job, Kathleen! Standing with Kathleen from left to right are: ‘Merlin’ Flynn, SVACA Alum; Will Kennedy, SVACA Board Vice-Chairperson; Jane Kennedy, SVACA Board Chairperson; Dan Soszynski, SVACA Executive Director. |
| Former SVACA Dog Stars in Major Motion Picture, HOTEL FOR DOGS |
J.R. and his companion, Mathilde Halberg, take a break on the set of Hotel for Dogs
The Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) staff and volunteers are quite proud of all their animal guests and believe they are among the most handsome, intelligent and loving animals in all the Bay Area. They may be onto something as 'one of their own' has achieved fame as "J.R.," a dog adopted from SVACA's Animal Care Center in September 2007, stars as “Friday” in Hotel for Dogs.
"We are so very proud of our little "J.R." as he has certainly come a long, long way. Our staff found him one morning, cold and alone, at our animal care center as he had been abandoned outside our door. Staff quickly took him in and provided him with 'TLC' until we were able to find him a new home. And what a home we found," says Dan Soszynski, SVACA Executive Director. He adds, "We believe shelter animals make the best companions and "J.R." is a perfect example." |
| Progressive Shelters Make All the Difference |
 Dan Soszynski, SVACA's Executive Director, recently wrote an article for Bay Woof magazine. Please go here to learn more about what we do at SVACA to help animals like "Trinity" and how you can help us help the animals! |
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| A Spooktacular Time Was Had By All at Barktoberfest! |
Let's adopt this kitten! 
And the winners are…the pirate and the bee!
On November 1, 2008, we held our first offsite adoption fair and low cost clinic at the Campbell Community Center. Hundreds of our furry friends and their guardians attended the event to receive low cost care from the Bascom Animal Hospital staff and free training advice from Donna Johns of DJ’s Clever Canines. Many homeless animals were adopted into loving homes and we even held a costume contest with the winners receiving $50 gift certificates that were generously donated by our good friends at Pet Food Express. Overall, it was a pet fair smash and caught on in a flash! |
| SVACA Rescues Baby Birds! |
 We recently rescued eighteen baby chicks who had been shipped in a small box via the US Postal Service. Unfortunately, this archaic and inhumane practice is legal. Find out more. |
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| SVACA Receives Generous Donation |
Brandi says, "Thanks, Stella Rebekah!"
SVACA regularly receives donated items from individuals and groups, but we were recently surprised by a hefty donation of treats, towels, blankets and all sorts of other goodies from the great folks at Stella Rebekah Lodge #22 in Saratoga - 408-255-0953. Thanks to their donation drive, our animal guests will be that much more comfortable during their stay with us! Click here to learn more about how you can donate and help the animals. |
| SVACA Staff Honors Volunteers |
SVACA Volunteers Make a Difference!
We recently honored our volunteers at our first Volunteer Social. Volunteers generously donated over 2,000 hours of their time in 2007 which is quite extraordinary as our program is only one year old! We now have over one hundred volunteers who do so many wonderful things for SVACA and our animals. Volunteers are essential to SVACA's programs and services. Please click here to learn more about how you can help SVACA help the animals.
Top Dog! SVACA Volunteer Jane Norris is congratulated by Shelter Manager Michael Limper for being our "top dog"socializer for 2007!
The Cat's Meow! Shelter Manager Michael Limper congratulates SVACA Volunteer Mark Nemeth - our most outstanding cat socializer in 2007! |
| SVACA Animal Care Center Celebrates Birthday! |
On November 14, 2007, the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority
(SVACA) will be celebrating the one-year-anniversary of the opening of
its state-of-the-art cageless Animal Care Center. SVACA has quickly
become a premier animal care and control center in the region, state and
country. "Visitors have been very impressed by our center and programs
from the progressive cageless design to our high level of customer
service," said Michael Limper, SVACA's Shelter Manager. "Visitors are
often amazed by the friendly yet professional atmosphere and how well we
care for our animals. We've had folks come from as far away as Nevada
to adopt animals. Even animal welfare professionals walk away with new
ideas as to how to run their operation."
Due to the animal friendly design of SVACA's cageless center,
psychological enrichment programs for its animal guests, and veterinary
care provided by SVACA's medical team, adoptable animals can be guests
for months. "Pumpkin had been a feline guest since December 2006, and
through the good work of our staff and volunteers, we were able to keep
her healthy and happy until the right person came along and adopted her
ten months later," added Limper.
"We're very proud of what we've been able to accomplish in such a short
period of time. Not only have we started a center from scratch, we also
established a progressive adoption program and opened a low cost
spay-neuter clinic," said Dan Soszynski, SVACA's Executive Director.
"Most importantly, we placed all of our adoptable animals into new homes
which was our goal from day one.
SVACA also offers volunteer and foster parent opportunities, humane
education programs, onsite dog training, and much more. Soszynski hopes
that all Bay Area residents will visit the center and consider SVACA as
a resource when they have questions about their companion animals or are
looking to adopt a new family member. For more information on SVACA's
programs, please contact 408-764-0344 or visit www.svaca.com. |
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| Low Cost Spay-Neuter Clinic to Open |
 On November 7, 2007, SVACA will be opening a low cost spay/neuter clinic for the residents of Campbell, Monte Sereno and Santa Clara. 'We are so very pleased to be able to offer this much needed service to our residents', says Gina DeMartini, SVACA’s Registered Veterinary Technician. 'We have been working very hard at getting this program on its feet as it will be essential in helping to reduce the animal overpopulation problem in our area.'
Spaying or neutering our companion animals has many benefits such as: prevents the addition of more animals to the overpopulation problem, increases the likelihood that a companion animal will live a long and healthy life, and reduces the chance of unwanted behaviors, i.e. spraying in cats and roaming in dogs.
Residents will be able to have their dog or cat altered at SVACA’s state-of-the-art Animal Care Center, located at 3370 Thomas Road in Santa Clara, which will celebrate its one year anniversary on November 14.
'Our clinic will be extremely affordable for those who have a difficult time making ends meet yet want to be responsible animal guardians,' adds DeMartini. The cost of a spay or neuter surgery will be $10 for a cat and $30 for a dog. Other services will also be available at the time of surgery and will be by appointment only. For more information click here or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 408-764-0344.
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Volunteer Honored!
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Way to go Susan! Standing with Susan from left to right are: David Baxter, Monte Sereno; Will Kennedy, Santa Clara; Jane Kennedy, Campbell; Dan Soszynski, SVACA Executive Director. |
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Grand Opening!
On December 2, 2006, SVACA held a Grand Opening Ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new Animal Care Center. Hundreds of folks attended the event.
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| SVACA Ribbon Cutting - Left to Right - Captain Russ Patterson,
Campbell Police Department; Monte Sereno City Manager, Brian Loventhal;
Campbell City Council Member Jane Kennedy; Molly Matthews, daughter of
Mr. Matthews; Santa Clara City Council Member Jamie Matthews; Monte
Sereno City Council Member Barbara Nesbet; Santa Clara City Manager
Jennifer Sparacino; Santa Clara Assistant City Manager Ron Garratt |
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Addressing the Crowd - Santa Clara
Assistant City Manager Ron Garratt |
New Animal Care Center open!
State-of-the-art facility funded by Campbell, Monte Sereno, Santa Clara
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Ya-Ya Room - SVACA staff member Elizabeth Subia with "Javier" and two
SVACA guests in our "Ya-Ya room" (indoor exercise area) |
Our new Animal Care Center opened on Tuesday, November 14, to provide licensing, field services and homeless animal sheltering to the residents of three cities - Campbell, Monte Sereno and Santa Clara. The facility will also be open to residents from throughout Santa Clara Valley who want to adopt pets, are looking for lost animals, or who want to participate in educational programs.
The 17,000-square-foot facility is located at 3370 Thomas Road and is operated by the Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA), a joint agency of the City of Campbell, the City of Monte Sereno and the City of Santa Clara. It can accommodate more than 128 cats and 40 dogs at any one time and features several unique animal areas:
- Cat condos will allow cats to climb and get accustomed to roaming loose in rooms as they would in a house.
- Dog habitats provide a homelike setting rather than confining the canines to cages or kennels.
- Indoor and outdoor dog play areas for exercise, behavior assessments, and getting acquainted with other dogs and potential owners.
The $6 million Animal Care Center also is equipped with "green building" features such as a solar water heater, energy efficient air conditioning and lighting, and extremely high air quality.
"Our goal is to have all of our adoptable animals placed in new homes with no euthanasia of adoptable animals," said SVACA Executive Director Dan Soszynski. "We believe the new center will help us find homes for even the most hard to place animals, and we will work closely with other local animal agencies and rescue groups to meet this goal."
SVACA officials estimate they will receive approximately 4,000 animals a year: 800 dogs, 2,000 cats, 700 wildlife and 500 others such as rabbits and birds.
For more information on the SVACA Animal Care Center, call 408-764-0344. The organization is also looking for volunteers to assist as animal socializers, adoption counselors, as ambassadors and with other outreach activities.
Construction Begins!
On March 10, 2006, SVACA held a Construction Launch Ceremony to celebrate the “ground breaking” of the new Animal Care Center. City representatives from Campbell, Monte Sereno and Santa Clara along with SVACA staff attended the milestone event.
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Board Ground Launch, left to right, include: Barbara Nesbet, Monte Sereno City Council and SVACA Board Member; Jane Kennedy, Campbell City Council and SVACA Board Member; Jamie Matthews, Santa Clara City Council and SVACA Board Member; Aldyth Parle, Former Santa Clara City Council and SVACA Board Member; and Patricia Mahan, Mayor of Santa Clara. |
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