Team Up for Pups! Marin Humane and Hopalong Animal Rescue Join Forces

Wally proudly poses with his new family at Marin Humane

For animal shelters, one of the biggest lessons to emerge from the pandemic is the importance of a strong foster home program. Even the best shelters can’t compete with a loving home environment. Pets in foster homes are more relaxed, receive more attention, and are better protected from communicable diseases that can spread easily in shelters. And because foster parents can really get to know these pets, it’s easier to find the perfect match for them when it’s time to look for a forever home.

Marin Humane drew on the support of its amazing foster families as soon as the first Shelter-in-Place order was enacted. Thanks to these caring individuals, the organization was able to move many animals out of the shelter and quickly place them in loving homes. Having fewer animals in the shelter allowed MH to keep more staff and volunteers safely at home. These foster families offered a lifeline in a time of critical need, and they continue to do so to this day.

Tiny Bear waits for his new family to finish the adoption paperwork

But while Marin Humane was fortunate to have these families at the ready, the number of foster homes was relatively small compared to the need. In fact, the nonprofit had long sought to increase its foster program even before the pandemic. “While we’re proud of all the programs and services we have for pets and those who love them, enlarging our foster base was an important goal,” says Marin Humane CEO Nancy McKenney. 

Meanwhile, over on the other side of the Bay, Oakland-based Hopalong Animal Rescue, the Bay Area’s largest animal foster organization, had begun looking to partner with a brick-and-mortar shelter. Since its founding in Oakland in the mid-1990s, Hopalong has played a major role in finding homes for tens of thousands of animals in the Bay Area and beyond, all without its own shelter. But Hopalong’s staff realized that teaming up with a shelter would greatly enhance its work. 

“Our 600+ network of foster homes and our connections to shelters is strong, but we wanted to partner with an organization that would enable us to say ‘yes’ to animals with complex medical needs. Plus, having a small number of staff doing a huge amount of work made us realize how much more we could be doing if we formally affiliated with a shelter,” says Hopalong Executive Director Juliet Boyd. 

So eight months ago, when MH’s McKenney got a call from Hopalong’s Boyd, she was excited by the prospect of a formalized partnership. The two animal welfare organizations — which had previously worked together — began exploring ways to integrate the two organizations and in November signed a collaboration agreement. 

“We were thrilled to take the first step in bringing Hopalong onboard at Marin Humane,” says McKenney. “Hopalong has long been a trusted partner of Marin Humane. Its strong ties to shelters from the Central Valley to the northernmost parts of our state enable it to help those overcrowded and under-resourced shelters by regularly transferring dogs and cats to the Bay Area. And its ability to be nimble during times of crisis has helped us more than once make space at our shelter to help families affected by wildfires.”

Lacking its own shelter, Hopalong had long been unable to accept dogs with significant behavioral issues because they often require dedicated behaviorists and trainers. Fortunately, Marin Humane has an award-winning Behavior and Training department that not only offers training for the public but also has a dedicated team of experienced staff and volunteers who regularly work with adoption dogs on issues such as leash aggression and separation anxiety - another win-win.

“The commonalities between our two organizations made the conversations and planning go very smoothly,” says Boyd. “Both organizations represent progressive animal welfare practices and bringing in Hopalong aligns perfectly with our overall strategic goal of ending pet homelessness in the Bay Area by 2030,” adds McKenney.

 The partnership will become permanent in 2021 when Hopalong’s staff joins MH as the Hopalong Foster Program of Marin Humane. Joining forces will enable Marin Humane to find forever homes for 1,500 more animals each year without having to increase its shelter capacity. The merger will also strengthen the ability to respond to disasters, while eliminating duplicate costs through a shared administration and infrastructure. 

The Bay Area is fortunate to have so many outstanding animal shelters and rescue groups, but that isn’t just a happy accident. Marin Humane and other animal welfare organizations couldn’t do this work without the committed, generous support of the animal-loving community, including readers like you. 

On behalf of every lost or lonely critter that comes through our doors – or into a foster home – thank you for caring enough to make their lives better.