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Oliver’s Different Type of New Beginning
You’ve likely heard about our assistance programs and our mission to keep pets out of shelters and in the care of the families who love them. From free pet food to advice and referrals to low-cost veterinary services, we offer a wide range of programs dedicated to stopping pet homelessness at the source. And those efforts go even further for pet guardians who are part of the military community – like Oliver’s guardians.
Oliver’s family had been bringing their pets to our free wellness clinics for Veterans for quite some time. But this time, the needs were far greater than the essential check-ups and vaccinations we usually provide. Oliver had been rushed to an emergency clinic while suffering from a urinary obstruction. While it may not sound like much, this is a severe condition for male cats and can be life-threatening. Oliver’s family had a very difficult decision to make. They couldn’t afford to continue treating him at the emergency clinic, but the thought of euthanizing their beloved cat was unbearable. Thankfully, they reached out to our team for advice, and our dedicated veterinary staff sprang into action.
Oliver’s case turned out to be even trickier than expected. Every time his urinary catheter was removed, he quickly became re-blocked, and the process had to be started from scratch. It soon became apparent that he would require specialized surgery to fix this problem – surgery that was beyond the scope of our in-house clinic – and his family was out of resources. But thanks to our assistance programs, Oliver was paired with a board-certified surgeon, who operated on him right here in our clinic. After recovering from his surgery under our supervision, it wasn’t long before Oliver could finally go back to his family.
Without your support, it is very doubtful that Oliver would be here today. When you look at ARF’s impact by the numbers, “46,500+ cats and dogs adopted” isn’t the whole story. There are also tens of thousands of animals who have received crucial care through our assistance programs, Veterans services, spay/neuter clinic, and beyond. Your gift helps keep at-risk animals out of crowded shelters and on the path towards a happy future – whether that future is in a brand new forever home or alongside the only happy family they’ve ever known.
Save Lives, Win Prizes, and Have Fun at Animals on Broadway
For the past 22 years, Bay Area pet lovers have come together at Animals on Broadway (AOB) to celebrate the unique bond between pets and people. And we’re inviting you to join the fun! Sign up as an individual or create your own team to earn prizes including AOB t-shirts, pet swag, gift certificates, tickets to upcoming ARF events, and more! We’re currently less than $4,000 away from our $100,000 fundraising goal, and you can be the one to take us across the finish line.
Then, bring the whole family — pets included — to Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza on Sunday, May 22 for a day of adorable animals, exciting activities, one-of-a-kind giveaways, and more. The annual fundraising walk begins at 10:30 am, with our community festival following shortly after at 11 am. It’s going to be a beautiful day to celebrate. See you there!
Additionally, we’d like to give a big thank you to our top event sponsors:
More Updates
Spend Your Free Time Helping Animals in Need
Have you been looking for a way to give back to the community? Great news — volunteer orientations are back! Join hundreds of passionate volunteers who generously give their time to animals in need. Complete an interest form to get started.
Bring Your Dog to a Cal Baseball Game
Bark at the Park returns to the Bay Area when Cal takes on University of New Mexico this Sunday. Don’t miss this unique chance to catch a ballgame with your canine best friend. Tickets are available at Cal’s website, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Pets and Vets.
Adopt Mel
Mel is still looking for a loving home! Her adoption comes complete with a lifetime of complimentary veterinary rechecks for non-urgent care, a lifetime supply of her prescription medications, training support for life, and all the snuggles you can handle. View our adoptable animals online, or meet them in person
