On Halloween 2025, an adult black cat with an ear tip was found abandoned in a crate outside the Humane Society of Ventura County. Scared and confused, he was taken into our clinic for a wellness exam, where clinic and animal care staff kept him comfortable, safe, and happy. The scene was especially touching, given that HSVC Veterinary Assistant Samantha Velasquez was dressed as a black cat herself for Halloween. Meanwhile, staff attempted to locate the owner, as animal abandonment is illegal under California Penal Code 597s subsection (a). After checking the shelter's security cameras and working with the local sheriff’s department, our Humane Officers were able to contact the animal’s owner. They agreed to formally surrender the cat, formerly known as BB, to HSVC.

Sweet but nervous, given the situation, it was clear the 5-year-old cat would need a special foster home. We reached out to Jackson Galaxy, friend of the shelter and cat behavior extraordinaire, for guidance. He agreed to foster BB, now Vincent, and came to the shelter in Ojai on Saturday to pick him up.