The Humane Society of Ventura County is a compassionate care shelter and non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and adoption of animals in need throughout Ventura County.
Our staff had so much fun at last week's Staff Appreciation Paint Night! Thank you to Stacey of Ojai Coffee Roasters for hosting our staff at after hours and thank you to Jen Livia of Red Brick Art for teaching a private paint class! Shelter staff got to relax and enjoy free refreshments as they painted a beautiful landscape of the Topa Topa mountains. It was a much deserved afternoon of fun!
The HSVC is proud to announce the newest member of our team, Karen Terpstra! Karen will be joining the HSVC team as our new Director of Shelter Operations. Her extensive experience in the animal welfare industry will be a great asset to our shelter. Karen’s career in animal welfare began at Pasadena Humane Society, where she served as Assistant Executive Director for eight years. She has since worked in shelters in Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, and New Jersey. Most recently, Karen was the Director of Operations at Santa Barbara Humane. She has made a measurable positive impact on animal outcomes at every organization she’s worked at through expanding spay/neuter programs, behavior enrichment and education, robust foster and adoption programs, and decreasing the animals’ length of stay at the shelter.Karen has also fostered more than 700 orphaned kittens (and several puppies and dogs, too!) She shares her home with Mini, an English Bulldog adopted from HSVC, and four cats who were former fosters. We are thrilled to have her as part of our team! Welcome, Karen!
Sunday's Pints & Pups event was a huge success! Our staff and volunteers had so much fun interacting with fellow animal lovers and sharing information about the shelter. Not to mention the gorgeous weather! We couldn't have asked for a better day. Thank you to our friends at Ventura Coast Brewing Company for hosting us, and thank you to Val of Dogtown Ventura for coordinating such an awesome event for the community!
Tucker and Tundra are looking for forever homes! Both horses were brought to the HSVC by our Humane Officers as part of an abuse and neglect investigation in late December of 2022. They have come a long way during their time at the shelter, and we are so excited they are finally available for adoption! If you are interested, please call the shelter at 805-646-6505 to speak with our Equine Specialist, Christina.
The HSVC is proud to unveil a new addition to our shelter grounds in honor of late volunteer Animal Ambassador, Laurie Adams. Fellow Animal Ambassadors Linda Duval (left), Laurie McKnett (center), Carol Ramsey (right), and Carol Davis (not pictured) assembled the bench together to commemorate their beloved friend, who passed away peacefully on February 2nd, 2023, at the age of 70 from complications caused by cryptococcal meningitis. The seating area has plenty of space in front for dogs to sit at your feet, just as Laurie would've wanted it. It also features a beautiful willow tree courtesy of the Ventura Botanical Gardens, another organization dear to Laurie's heart.
Our friends at Dogtown VTA are hosting their first-ever HSVC adoption event in partnership with Ventura Coast Brewing Company! Join us this Sunday, March 26th, from 12 - 4 pm at Ventura Coast Brewing Company (76 S Oak St. Ventura, CA) for an afternoon filled with animal fun to benefit the HSVC! This event will feature: A chance to meet several adoptable dogs from HSVC Hand-stamped ID tags by Cotton and Comb Doggy photobooth at Dogtown VTA (located across the street at 37 S Oak St.) Prize drawing to benefit HSVC
We had so much fun at the kitten shower over the weekend! Thank you to all who stopped by to visit, donate, and learn more about our kitten foster program!
St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner! It is very common for our furry friends to test their luck on this shamrock-clad holiday. Check out these tips to keep your pets out of mischief this St. Paddy's Day!