Pet Safety Net: Marin Humane Finds New Ways to Keep Pets With Their People

There’s lots of good stuff happening at Marin Humane! photos: Marin Humane

For decades, animal shelters have operated primarily on a reactive basis. That is, we focused on pets after they came through our doors, not before. 

The reason was that there were simply so many animals to care for. Spaying/neutering wasn’t commonplace so there were many unwanted litters. People weren’t as diligent about licensing and microchipping their pets so many more became lost and ended up at shelters. In addition, there was a long-held stereotype that “pound pets” were less desirable and somehow inferior to breeder-bought pets so fewer people adopted from shelters.

Thankfully, over the years, more people began adopting from shelters and rescues, as well as spaying/neutering their pets and getting those pets microchipped. More pets began wearing collars and tags, providing the quickest way for families to be reunited with their lost animals.

Nevertheless, struggling pet parents still found themselves in the heartbreaking position of having to surrender their pets to shelters. Perhaps they could not afford veterinary care, couldn’t find pet-friendly housing, or did not have access to training resources. People were still surrendering their beloved pets because they truly felt they had no alternative.

At the same time, there was growing recognition in the national animal welfare community that some home situations for pets, while not ideal, were still better than being in a shelter.

For example, it was widely thought that being unhoused meant you were incapable of caring for a pet. However, we’ve learned that, while not ideal, the lack of stable housing doesn’t mean you can’t be a good pet guardian. Similarly, if you must delay important veterinary care because you can’t make ends meet, that doesn’t mean you don’t love your pets dearly. That’s where our Pet Safety Net comes in.

At Marin Humane, we’ve long provided help for the pets of low-income seniors, but we’ve now raised enough funds to expand the program to help pet parents of all ages and income levels.  

Supported by individual donors and funders, the Pet Safety Net provides money toward veterinary care, free pet food and supplies, and more. Thanks to our dedicated delivery volunteers, we now deliver pet food to pantries and even directly to the homes of Pet Safety Net clients if needed.

We also take the Pet Safety Net on the road via our mobile clinics held throughout the county. These clinics provide free vaccinations, flea meds, microchips, licenses, and more, and we make referrals for any necessary follow-up care. Staffed by Marin Humane staff and volunteers, as well as area veterinarians who volunteer their time, these clinics have drawn huge numbers of people and pets.

In addition to the free behavior handouts available on Marin Humane’s website, the Pet Safety Net offers deeply discounted consultations on behavior issues that may threaten the guardian’s ability to keep their pet in the home.

 “It’s a double-edged sword to see how popular the Pet Safety Net has become,” says Director of Community Engagement Darlene Blackman. “On the one side, it’s amazing to be able to help thousands of pet guardians who would otherwise be surrendering their pet. On the other, it’s tough to see just how great the need is.”

Struggling to afford veterinary care and nutritious food is a big obstacle, followed by the high cost of living in the Bay Area and the dearth of pet-friendly housing. To help navigate that challenge, we developed a Renter’s Toolkit with resources including tips on building your pet’s resume and even a downloadable “Dog Guardian Pledge.”

Sometimes, however, despite everything a guardian has tried, they must make the heartbreaking decision to give up their pet. That’s where our private rehoming service comes in handy. People can post their pets on Marin Humane’s rehoming page, No Place Like Home, and have their pets featured on our site at no charge. The only restriction is that the pet must be spayed/neutered. This way, their pet can stay out of the shelter until a new, loving home is found.

Marin Humane isn’t the only Bay Area shelter providing resources for struggling pet guardians. In fact, there’s a growing national database of resources of all kinds available to anyone on the Human Animal Support Services website.

So often, we animal lovers don’t see past an animal in trouble to ask if their humans are in need of help, too.

Marin Humane will always help animals — and we’re proud to help the people who love them, too.