New Digs for Muttville: Nonprofit Builds on Bay Area Legacy

This month, Muttville opens it’s brand new shelter complex on Florida Street in San Francisco. photo: Dr. Ken Gorczyca

Muttville, San Francisco’s iconic senior dog rescue organization, will reach a significant milestone this month with the opening of its new digs on Florida Street in the Mission District. The impressive new facility comprises three buildings, including a veterinary clinic, public educational conference rooms, volunteer space, and cage-free indoor and outdoor areas for senior dogs up for adoption.

An inside peek at part of the new Muttville facility. image: Muttville

Muttville’s mission is to give senior dogs a second chance at a loving home and to promote the understanding and appreciation of older dogs within our society. The organization provides specialized care, such as medical treatment and rehabilitation, to ensure that senior dogs can live their remaining lives in comfort and happiness. It also works to raise awareness about the benefits of adopting senior dogs and to address the challenges and misconceptions surrounding them.

San Francisco - named after Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment - has served as a nurturing ground for many outstanding animal organizations and movements over the years. As with Muttville, finding a permanent home has been a crucial part of the life cycle for such groups, as this brief history illustrates.

The former Pets Unlimited first gained a permanent home in 1947 on Fillmore Street. It initially began as a small animal hospital and eventually grew into a renowned organization dedicated to providing comprehensive veterinary care, adoption services, and educational programs for pets and their owners. After more than six decades of promoting animal welfare and advocating for responsible pet ownership, Pets Unlimited merged with the San Francisco SPCA in 2014. Following this merger, the Fillmore Street facility became the independent San Francisco Animal Medical Center (SFAMC) in 2022.

Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS), another iconic San Francisco organization, was initially founded in 1986 as a project under the San Francisco AIDS Foundation to provide pet food assistance to individuals living with AIDS/HIV. Over time, PAWS became an independent organization and expanded its services to include pet food delivery, veterinary care, foster care, adoption, dog walking, education, and more. 

PAWS came of age when it purchased its building in the Mission District in 2006. This acquisition allowed it to focus on expanding programs to include individuals with disabling illnesses. In 2015, PAWS merged with the Shanti Project, creating a perfect blend of human and animal services.  PAWS is one of the few original AIDS service organizations that continues to flourish. 

Of course, there are many other notable Bay Area organizations focused on animals. These include the Animal Legal Defense Fund, a national nonprofit dedicated to protecting the rights and welfare of animals through the legal system; VET SOS (Veterinary Street Outreach Services), which provides free veterinary care to the pets of unhoused and low-income individuals; and the Marine Mammal Center, located in Marin County, which focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured marine mammals. In addition, the Lesbian and Gay Veterinary Medical Association (now Pride Veterinary Medical Community), Veterinary Mental Health Support, and San Francisco AID for Animals (SFAfA) were all founded by local veterinarians. Finally, the San Francisco SPCA and San Francisco Animal Care and Control continue to be prominent leaders in the field of animal advocacy and care. 

Today, San Francisco continues to serve as a beacon in the animal welfare community, reflecting the progressive values and commitment to animal welfare for which the city is known. Fittingly, these collective efforts honor the memory of Saint Francis and fortify San Francisco's role as a leader in advocating for and protecting the well-being of animals.

Muttville is honored to build upon the legacy of groups such as these. Its new home in the MIssion District marks a pivotal step in its work to provide senior dogs with a second chance at a loving home and to foster a greater appreciation of older dogs in the Bay Area and beyond.

Stay tuned for the upcoming inaugural celebrations and events at Muttville.