Angus seems very happy in his new home and being part of our family. We could not be more thrilled with him, he is so sweet and such a good boy! We did change his name to Angus. No issues with Benson, we just thought Angus was a perfect name for a Scottish terrier. My daughter loves the Disney movie “Brave” and the lead character has a pet horse named Angus who has the exact coloring that he has. So he was Angus the moment the kids laid eyes on him.

I can’t say I have noticed any personality traits that differ from when we first adopted him. He is very smart and picked up potty training within two weeks. He is a creature of habit and loves his routine. He cracks us up each night because he puts himself to bed in his crate as soon as he sees us getting onto bed!

Our vet noted from his first visit that he has a great temperament and that has held true to today. Angus and our cat love to play and get along great. In fact, our cat has started joining us on walks (not on a leash just following alongside Angus). We make quite the sight… He is also very friendly towards other dogs we encounter on our walks!

The process to adopt on your end was very easy and the staff was so friendly and knowledgeable. They made the adoption a breeze and I cannot compliment them enough!We had been looking for a while, ever since our family dog passed away last May (he was almost 15). We were very discouraged with the process of trying to find a dog during COVID (it was so competitive to find a rescue). Our experience with the Butte Humane Society could not have been more night and day to many of the other shelters we looked at!

By Katrina Woodcox

We were heartbroken when we lost our 13-year old dog, Ruby. She had been with us since she was a puppy and was a reliable, stoic girl who joined us on family adventures and was a patient, gentle companion for our oldest daughter who has autism. When our youngest was born, she became a faithful shadow, always keeping a watchful eye on her from infancy, through the toddler years and into elementary school.

Suffice it to say – she had some pretty big paws to fill. So much so that after her passing, my husband said he did not want to get another dog. Three years went by, and while we filled our busy home with life, laughter, and four funny feline friends, nevertheless, I longed for the loyal companionship that only a dog seems to provide. Every now and then, I would talk to my husband about it, but he was still pretty adamant about his decision. From “they’re too much work” to “we’ll have to clean up poop in the yard again” he had several excuses to cover up the real reason: his heart wasn’t quite ready.

One afternoon, I was asked if I could foster two 3-month old brindle-coat puppies. They had been taken in as strays with their mom by the city animal shelter. They were born on the streets of Chico and were truly homeless animals. When their mother was reunited with her owner, the puppies ended up at Butte Humane Society. I offered to take them in “for a few days” until they were altered and then put up for adoption.

They were adorable: the male was beefy, rambunctious, and loud. The female was lean, quiet, and shy. She just wanted me to hold her on my chest and rest her head on my shoulder. It took about 10 minutes and I knew Sadie had picked her family. It took my husband a few days, but he knew it too. And it took no convincing my then-10-year-old – we were all hooked.

Today she is still a shy girl, but she is goofy and funny. She’s definitely not “a Ruby” – but she IS Sadie and we love her just as much. She likes to play “Is There a Puppy In Here?” – a phrase that causes her to spin in mad circles in the living room with a squeaky toy. She loves trips to the ocean, hikes in Bidwell Park, chasing squirrels, and car rides. She is gentle, a bit nervous, and very sweet. She sits by the door every morning so I don’t “forget her” when I leave for the office and makes friends with

 everyone she meets. And on occasion, she suffers from an anxiety episode – that requires soothing music and a quiet space to regroup.

Aside from finding her forever home with us, the even better news is that her brother was adopted by a colleague so now Ru and Sadie get to see each other throughout the year, their favorite pastime: chasing each other and balls in a big open field.

After losing a beloved pet, we sometimes place expectations on those that come after them. I’m grateful that Sadie is so different from Ruby. Like humans – we are all unique – as we should be. I’m glad Sadie does what most animals can do for us if we just let them: teach us about ourselves, kindness, and unconditional love. Thank you, BHS for bringing us together!

Stark brought our family together. After our mother passed away in January, there was an enormous feeling of loss and sadness in our family. Then my dad had his first birthday without his wife, COVID hit, and my dad and brother isolated while I stayed elsewhere so I could continue to work. 

It had been almost a month since I had seen my dad and brother in person when I brought Stark home to them. Stark has brought pure joy to our family; he plays with us and our other dog, Eve, he is a great protector, he loves to give kisses, and he has been helping us heal from our loss and challenges.

Thank you, BHS for helping our family grow!

This past year has been a difficult time, as a pandemic sweeps the globe, we are all adapting to new ways of life and thinking about safety in new terms, this has brought many changes for Butte Humane Society as well.

As virus concerns began to grow bigger and Shelter-In-Place was announced in April, BHS realized one of their in-person community programs, The Pet Food & Supply Pantry, could no longer operate under its normal terms. This Pet Food Pantry originally began during the Camp Fire of 2018 as a way of providing donated pet food and supplies to those who had lost everything in the devastating blaze. As the year progressed, BHS was able to open this program to all those who needed some extra assistance. 

As a new threat faced the citizens of our county, The Pet Food and Supply Pantry needed to adapt yet again. Thus, our mobile version, The Pet Food Pantry Express was born! This program is helping to provide citizens of Butte County with a month’s supply of pet food -as well as various pet supplies- through their free, contact-free delivery program. Employee Randy Ruvacava has played an indispensable role in getting this program off the ground and rolling, here’s what he had to share:

How did the idea to evolve the PFP into a mobile version come about?  

1. What dogs have you fostered for BHS the last few months? What’s one thing you enjoyed about each of them? 

Over the past couple of months, I’ve fostered 3 dogs! 

The first was Travis and my favorite thing about him was how fun-spirited and independent he is. He also got along so well with other dogs and cats and can catch the frisbee very well! 

Next, I fostered Boss! This guy made his way into my heart and my favorite thing about him was how sweet and happy he is. He always had the biggest smile on his face that was so contagious. He made our days better. 

Lastly, I fostered Clark for a little while and my favorite thing about him was how cuddly and loving he is. He just wants a best friend and during everything that has been going on, it was nice snuggling and loving on him! 

2. What made you want to start fostering dogs? 

I started fostering dogs because my dogs don’t live with me in Chico and everyone needs their “dog fix” to make their days brighter. I have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with each and every dog as it has made my time here in Chico much more fulfilling. I will take the time I’ve spent with these dogs with me forever, as they have all impacted my life in some way. 

3. What is the hardest part about being a foster? 

The hardest part about fostering is the unknown after letting them go. It’s a bittersweet feeling because you are so excited they found their forever home, but still miss them so much and hope that they are living their best life. That is what they deserve… these dogs make life better and sometimes we don’t deserve them. But they deserve to feel loved every second.