Stretching scant resources is just a way of life at the Northwest SPCA, located in an economically hard-hit area of Butte County. Shelter director Lorraine "Rainy" Green has built a notable network of collaborative relationships to fill the gaps in providing needed services, from spay-neuter clinics provided by vets at the local community college to volunteer labor and creative fundraising. In 2006, after many years of effort, the group (which also houses the stray animals of the city of Oroville and Butte County) opened a spacious new shelter.
In the most recent newsletter, board member Nancy Kerns describes the latest influx of dogs: "We have, to put it simply, never seen so many 'owner surrendered' dogs before. It's unprecedented. We have dogs of divorce; we have dogs whose owners could not afford veterinary care to treat the illness the dogs had; we have dogs whose homes were foreclosed - the families moved to apartments that don't allow pets, and the family dogs came here. Many of these dogs have nothing wrong with them: they are friendly, well-behaved family dogs who, through no fault of their own, have been placed in our hands."
Currently in search of a new home, not to mention a name, is this little guy, probably a pug/Jack Russell or pug/chihuahua mix, who, Kerns says, packs tons of personality into his small size. He's about a year old and "smart as a whip, affectionate, athletic...could be an amazing flyball or agility dog." He gets along well with other dogs; his ideal home might include a larger, older dog sibling to teach him further dog manners and good play habits.