SAN DIEGO, CA — A San Diego woman reunited with her dogs this week after late January’s severe winter storm damaged her home and left her displaced.
Patricia, whose last name was not disclosed, reunited with her three pups on Wednesday after they spent six days with San Diego Humane Society’s safety net foster Program.
“I feel thankful to the San Diego Humane Society because they stepped up to the plate,” Patricia said. “They were there when I thought that I had no one. They were there for my fur babies and for me.”
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Patricia was forced to evacuate after her home was flooded during the Jan. 22 storm that devastated San Diego County.
Three people were killed and more than 800 homes were damaged in the storm, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. Newsom this week requested a presidential major disaster declaration to help the San Diego region recover from the deadly and destructive storm.
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When Patricia evacuated, she sought shelter with her pups at Lincoln High School, where the American Red Cross established a shelter and San Diego Humane Society supported evacuated pets.
On Feb. 1, Patricia and her dogs relocated to the newly established Red Cross shelter at the San Diego Municipal Gymnasium in Balboa Park. During that time, she faced a medical emergency and had to be hospitalized.
San Diego Humane Society placed 5-year-old chihuahua, Anabelle, 16-year-old chihuahua, Sookie, and 18-year-old Shih Tzu, Brownie, in the organization’s safety net Foster program while Patricia focused on her recovery and secured temporary housing for herself and her pets.
Patricia said the thought of reuniting with her dogs motivated her to get home to her pets — even when she didn’t know where home was.
“When you look to your resources, (San Diego Humane Society) being one of them, that’s going to be your light at the end of the tunnel,” Patricia said.
San Diego Humane Society launched its safety net foster program in April 2021. The program aims to protect the bond between pet owners and their pets and also ensures that pets don’t have to stay in shelters, which have limited capacity due to overcrowding.
As of Thursday, the organization has supported 311 pets through the program, according to Humane Society spokesperson Nina Thompson.
“In the time of crisis, our safety net foster program allows us to place animals into temporary homes while pet owners take some time to get back on their feet,” Thompson told Patch. “It is our goal to keep pets with their families and out of the shelter, each and every time it is possible.”
San Diego Humane Society is currently seeking volunteers for the program. Learn more and submit an application at sdhumane.org/foster.
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Anyone in need of foster support through the safety net foster program can call the organization’s Resource Center at 619-299-7012.
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