Paws Press — Fall 2021

When California reopened on June 15, our team was thrilled to welcome the public back to our Walnut Creek headquarters.

– Elena Bicker, ARF Executive Director

There are few things better than hearing children laugh at kittens’ antics or witnessing the joy of a couple as they swoon over their newly-adopted dog. We even held our first in-person meeting in over 18 months with our incredible volunteers!

As we went to print, COVID-19 cases were drastically rising again, and it reminds us that change is the only constant in life. When I reflect on the past year and a half, it’s the adaptability of our team and the compassion of our community which shines the brightest. ARF wouldn’t be able to keep families together and save lives without supporters like you.
Thanks to you, ARF connected more than 1,600 dogs and cats with loving families during the first 15 months of the pandemic. The majority of those animals were adopted through a virtual process, meeting their new families for the first time during socially-distanced, pick-up appointments.

One adopter explained their decision to adopt, “My partner and I were hesitant doing an adoption without interacting with the animal first, but ARF was wonderful in providing us with as much information as possible before we officially adopted our pet. We are so happy to have adopted. Our lab/pittie keeps us entertained with his goofy personality and living on a ranch keeps him entertained and always exploring.”

We hope you enjoy the incredible stories of hope and happiness in this edition. They represent just a small handful of the dogs and cats saved during this pandemic: Sparkler, the husky who needed emergency surgery on a holiday; Empanada, the momma cat who adopted four orphan kittens; and Dusty, the dog whose guardian was assisted with an unexpected veterinary bill.

And as always, thank you for your continued support and compassion. Together, we are changing lives – four paws at a time.