Lost and Found: Peninsula families help save rescue animals

Day after day, lost animals residing in shelters search for love and companionship. With the help of people who adopt from or volunteer at shelters, these animals can finally find a family and receive the care they deserve. Animal lovers senior Ricky Negishi, junior Alisa Hathaway and sophomore Renée Yang all adopted their current pets from shelters.

“When my family first decided to get a dog, we were going to buy from a breeder,” Negishi said. “In the end, we decided to rescue a dog from a shelter and visited several shelters. We decided to adopt [my dog] Austin from the San Pedro shelter.”

Like Negishi, Hathaway also adopted from the Harbor Animal Care Center, but her family adopted two cats.

“From the beginning, my family knew we wanted to adopt cats from a shelter,” Hathaway said. “We knew that many of the animals in shelters would be euthanized if they were not chosen, so we wanted to make a difference in at least some of their lives.”

Yang’s animal adoption experience was slightly different from Negishi’s and Hathaway’s, as it was at an adoption event organized by the volunteer organization called “Home For Every Living Pet” Rescue (H.E.L.P. Rescue) at Petco.

“When I walked in the doors to adopt [my dog], there were around 15 other dogs there, but after much deliberation, [I] chose a terrier mix, whom I later named Freida,” Yang said.

Yang adopted her dog in May 2010 and her love for animals drove her to inquire about volunteering at the shelter that was holding the adoption event. She subsequently became a volunteer for H.E.L.P. Rescue at the age of nine.

“The founder told me that they always need some extra hands around,” Yang said. “I have always had a love for dogs and animals, so everything at that moment just fell into place.”

Her typical Saturday consists of going to the San Pedro Petco and assisting in adoption events by dealing with adoption-related work. Yang also walks the dogs and rescue from the isolation ward of Harbor Shelter. Without their help, these canines would have no opportunity to be seen by the public and would most likely be euthanized.

“I have spent a majority of my Saturdays volunteering from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and I would not have it any other way,” Yang said. “It makes me so happy seeing dogs get adopted and find a family and home, and it brings me satisfaction knowing that my work is making a difference in these dogs’ lives.”

While adopting one animal may not save all homeless animals, it goes a long way in changing that particular animal’s life.

“I am so glad my family decided to adopt a dog from a shelter because I was able to rescue Austin and give him a home,” Negishi said. “I encourage more people to adopt dogs from shelters and give these animals the chance they deserve.”