Founded in 1907, the Marin Humane Society (Novato, California 94949) is a progressive, award-winning animal shelter, offering refuge and rehabilitation to nearly 8,000 animals each year through a myriad of community services, including adoptions, foster care, behavior and training, humane education, lost-and-found pet services, low-cost clinics, and more.
In addition to the organization’s role as a non-profit animal shelter, MHS is responsible for the county’s animal services. Since 1979, county and municipal animal services ordinances have been enforced by MHS through a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) contract with the County of Marin. Currently, 9 Animal Services Officers and 2 Field Services Technicians are on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to investigate more than 1,800 complaints and respond to more than 7,000 emergency and assistance calls annually.
Programs include:
SHARE (Special Human-Animal Relationships): For more than 20 years, The Marin Humane Society has been visiting convalescent centers to provide animal-assisted therapy. In 1987, the award-winning SHARE Program expanded its animal-assisted therapy to help seniors and people with AIDS who still live at home with their animal companions. SHARE volunteers walk dogs, groom cats, transport pets to the veterinarian or the groomer, and delivers free pet food and pet supplies to SHARE clients.
Guardians for Life: The Marin Humane Society’s Guardians for Life program enables people to include a provision in their last will and testament to ensure their pets will be cared for after they are no longer the caretaker.
Low-Fee Spay/Neuter Services: The Marin Humane Society Veterinary Clinic performs low-fee spay/neuter surgeries for cats and dogs of Marin County residents. In addition, every January, May, August and November, the Society’s Cat Fund in conjunction with several local veterinarians provide low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for felines.
Pen Pals of San Quentin: The Marin Humane Society brings dogs in need of medical or behavioral rehabilitation to San Quentin State Prison, where they spend time with selected inmates. The inmates have been taught how to socialize and train the dogs to prepare them to be adopted into a permanent home.
Pet Partnership Program: In Marin County, there is a greater demand for animals than are locally available and so the Marin Humane Society has partnered with dozens of overcrowded shelters in Northern California – and beyond – to bring nearly 1,500 animals each year to Marin to find new homes. MHS is also routinely called upon to assist with large-scale animal rescues related to puppy mills, hoarding cases, factory farm animals, and natural disasters.
