Every week, a headcount of the dogs, cats, roosters, rabbits and the occasional python hoping to trade a kennel for a couch somewhere around the Monterey Bay.
This week, 243 animals are listed for adoption across five shelters and rescues in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties — 17 fewer than last week. (Well done!)
That’s 84 dogs, 102 cats, and 57 others — a category that this week includes more than twenty roosters, chickens and bantams, a Yorkshire pig named Francine, several rabbits and pet rats, a couple of turtles, a ball python, an iguana, a bearded dragon (we don’t make judgements about beards like our Secretary of Defense), a pigeon, a duck, a thoroughbred, and Lucy the 14-year-old macaw, who is still waiting.
The rooster situation remains barely under control, (there are still a lot of roosters).
The Count
- Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter — 84 (26 dogs, 43 cats, 15 others)
- SPCA Monterey County — 61 (12 dogs, 7 cats, 42 others)
- Monterey County Animal Services (Hitchcock Road, Salinas) — 36 (23 dogs, 13 cats)
- Santa Cruz SPCA — 32 (13 dogs, 19 cats)
- Animal Friends Rescue Project — 30 (10 dogs, 20 cats)
Counts come from each organization’s public adoption listings as of Monday, October 26. Listings change daily — some of these pets may already be home by the time you read this, which is exactly the point.
Who Went Home
Of the 260 animals listed last week, 89 have since left the listings — found homes, as far as we can tell, though a few may have been transferred or moved to another program. Meanwhile, 72 newcomers took their places.
- Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter — 50, including Teddy and Bruno, both from last week’s “meet” list, plus Mr. Worldwide
- SPCA Monterey County — 21, including dogs Bellatrix and Princess
- Monterey County Animal Services — 9, including Chiquis and Diesel
- Santa Cruz SPCA — 6, including Dolly, Poppy and Meowth
- Animal Friends Rescue Project — 3: Clyde, Fozzie Bear and Harriet
Teddy and Bruno, wherever you landed: we hope the couch is big enough.
A Few We’d Like You to Meet
Dom — Monterey County Animal Services. An 8-year-old pit bull and American bulldog mix, brought to the shelter on May 5 and still on the list. We featured him last week. We’re featuring him again. We’ll keep doing this until somebody takes the hint. (You! How about you!)
Perky — Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. A 14-year-old domestic mediumhair, one of the oldest cats at the county shelter. Fourteen years of experience being a cat. You will not find a more qualified candidate.
Sweedey — Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter. A duck, housed in the shelter’s barn. Age: unknown, which is frankly how a lot of us would prefer to be listed.
Lucky — SPCA Monterey County. A Mini Rex rabbit, 7 years and 5 months old — a senior, by rabbit standards. With a name like that, the paperwork practically writes itself.
Peso — SPCA Monterey County. A 2-year-old ball python. For the household that has everything except a ball python.
Fluffy — Santa Cruz SPCA. An 11-year-old Persian and the oldest cat on the Santa Cruz SPCA’s list. A Persian named Fluffy: either a very honest name or a very bold one.
Autumn — Animal Friends Rescue Project. A 15-year-old domestic shorthair, listed as a long-term resident and living in a foster home. Her listing is specific: a single-cat, adults-only household. We respect a cat with a clear brief.
Where to Find Them
- Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter — 1001 Rodriguez St., Santa Cruz (plus a Watsonville location). Open daily 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; adoptions end at 5.
- SPCA Monterey County — 1002 Monterey-Salinas Highway, across from Laguna Seca. Adoption Center open daily 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Monterey County Animal Services — 160 Hitchcock Road, Salinas. Adoptions are in person, first come, first served.
- Animal Friends Rescue Project — most of its animals live in foster homes; start with the adoption pages online. (AFRP is a KRML supporter.)
- Santa Cruz SPCA — 2601 Chanticleer Ave., Santa Cruz. Browsing hours Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Can’t adopt right now? Fostering, volunteering, and sharing this post all count. So does telling the python person in your life about Peso.
Paws on the Bay is KRML’s weekly roundup of adoptable animals around the Monterey Bay. Next week: who went home, and who’s still waiting.