Black Friday, White Bunnies: Shop Local!

Fee-free rabbits until November 30th!

This Black Friday, don't freeze your toes off standing in ridiculous lines outside of Walmart after stuffing your belly with...well, stuffing...the night before.  Sleep in and spend your day strolling our Rabitat and meeting all the fluffy white bunnies here at HSSV!  Why spend your hard-earned cash on the latest gadget when you could spend nothing for a loving family companion?  These sweet snowy buns would be thankful for the love and who knows, may even convince you that you are a rabbit person after all.  So get into the holiday spirit and let us introduce you to the wonderful white rabbits available for adoption here at HSSV:

CRYSTAL:

This sweet little girl is quite the love bug.  Not only does she love full body massages, she also doesn't mind being held!  Plus, she looks adorable with a beard.

"Ho-ho-hope I get a home soon!"

FERGUS:

The goofy one of the bunch, Fergus is full of personality.  He'll dazzle you with his joyful binkies and his ability to construct an elaborate mansion out of a cardboard box using only his teeth.  Impressive.

"You think these elf ears are cute, check out the ones under the hat.  I know, adorable."

 FOX:

 An easy-going, mellow lady who is happy with the simple things in life -- hay, hay, and more hay.

"Is this box made of hay?  No?  That's ok, I'll eat it anyway."

GECKO:

 An introverted intellectual, Gecko is a friendly, reserved guy looking for true love.  He adores quiet company and even loves books (although more so for chewing than for reading).

"Just call me the red-eyed reindeer."

Never had a bun before?  Don't fret!  Our adoption team will prepare you for life as a new bunny owner and give you all the resources you will need to make your new fuzzy friend as happy as can be in your home!  So avoid the mall and recover from your food coma at one of our three adoption locations.  Our bunnies will be glad you did!

Two of our Saratoga Satellite buns, Squirrel and Vanna

"Happy hopping!  I mean, shopping!"

Five Things That Make Us Absurdly Grateful This Thanksgiving

It's almost that time of year again - the one where you save the giblets to cook for the dog but wind up giving them part of the turkey anyway. The day where you repeatedly have to shoo the cat out of the Cool Whip and cover up the lick-marks on the pumpkin pie.

It's Thanksgiving. Even though it's a week early, we're already grateful for so much. To help get everyone in the mood we present the top five things we're grateful for this Thanksgiving.

Eyes are over-rated. Sunny spots on the sofa are not.

1) This Kitten and the other pets like her that we meet. Stella was born without eyes. She doesn't care one whit and loves playing with the two dogs in her foster home. She purrs like a brand new Mercedes, plays like a beast, and loves to cuddle. There are lessons to be learned from all animals but Stella and the legions of other 'different' animals we've had the honor of caring for take it to a whole new level. It's okay to be you. Play with your mousey toy and don't worry about whether or not other kittens have eyes.

RVT Laura smuggling puppies. We busted her.

2) Puppies. Every now and again we do a blog showcasing our cute puppies with dire warnings about how much work they are, but the fact is: puppies are puppies. They're stinkin' adorable.* We wish we didn't see as many of them as we do (spay and neuter folks!) but it doesn't mean that we all don't sneak a cuddle now and again.

The best thing about the puppies? We don't have to bring them home with us. But you can! We have a plethora of ridiculously cute pups available and more arriving this weekend. Want your holiday decorations ruined? Want to not care about your holiday decorations because you have someone so awesome to cuddle and love? Come see us.

3) The Quiet Dignity of A Senior Cat. We see a fair amount of the older kitties. Younger cats hate change. Older cats hate change more. Cats, in general, are lousy travelers and love their routines. Which is one of the reasons we're continually blown away by our older kitties and their equanimity in the face of the multiple transitions of shelter life. Stay flexible, make new friends whenever possible. Thank you, Rufus, Montego and company, for being such great teachers.

On the flip side of that, we're also grateful for the eternal optimism and silliness of our senior dogs. It's one thing to find yourself homeless at an advanced age. It's another thing entirely to find yourself homeless at an advanced age and still have a tail wag and an offered paw for everyone you meet. Lest we worry that age will make us cantankerous or lethargic, all we need to do is take our elder labs out for a game of fetch.

The trademark Sadie smile.

Thank you Sadie, Daisy, Mickey and Minnie for always smiling and for teaching what grace looks like.  Of course we'll keep throwing the ball, filling the kiddie pool and doling out treats. And we definitely won't give up on finding you the families you deserve.

4) Our Volunteers. Galahad sums it up perfectly - we love these guys. Our army of selfless volunteers do just about everything you can imagine doing and do it so well. The dogs get walked, the mailings go out, the store gets stocked, the cats get cuddled, the bunnies get socialized, the adopters get greeted and introduced to animals - these people are amazing.

If you enjoy reading the blog, know that most of fantastic photos that inspire these entries come from a team of dedicated volunteers. Jackie, Malcolm, Jill, Greg and others tirelessly photograph, upload and send. They couldn't get such great pictures without putting all of the love into our animals that they do. Most of our videos are done by the wonderful Elizabeth who is always available to help with some movie making, along with the million other things she does here.

We don't know what we did to deserve so many awesome folks giving so much of themselves but we know how lucky we are.

5) You Guys. Our adopters and supporters make us swoon. Thank you for giving our animals such good homes. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for fixing your pets, joining our dog park, sending your kids to our camps and programs, getting your pets vaccinated and groomed here and coming out for Walk 'N Wag and The Furball. Thank you for caring, for being part of our community and for spreading the word.

We hope everyone has a safe and fun Thanksgiving. Don't let the pets eat the bits that make them sick.

*They're only cuter when they talk!

Five Reasons Why Regina is Awesome

Regina the cat is awesome in so many ways -- here are just a few reasons why YOU should come meet one of HSSV's most interesting (yet overlooked) black cats.

1.  She is man's best friend.  Many of us here at HSSV suspect she may have been a dog in a previous life.  Not only is she loyal, she's also super playful and smart enough to learn a trick or two.

"Woof."

2.  Her batting average is off the charts.  Since arriving here at HSSV, Regina has dazzled us with her ability to hit any pitch (as long as it's with a crinkly ball).  She's a sporty gal that you'd be proud to have on your lineup.  Come see for yourself -- her accuracy is uncanny.

"Buster who?"

3.  She is the opposite of shy.  If you are looking for a confident cat who knows what she wants in life, look no further than this lovely lady.

"You can do it.  Adopt me."

4.  She's an award-winning conversationalist.  Well, maybe not to the extent of Ellen, but pretty darn close.  If you are the kind of person who likes a bit of witty back-and-forth banter between you and your furry friend, Regina would be happy to oblige.

"What do you mean Cat Week is over?!"

5.  Not that looks matter, but she's GORGEOUS!  Her coat is so shiny she could star in her own L'Oreal campaign.  Also, her previous owner stated that she is half Siamese.  Don't believe it? Just come meet her, you'll see.

"Because I'm worth it."

Five Reasons An HSSV Dog Is A Better Deal Than The Twitter IPO.

If you're alive and accidentally turned on a radio or TV this week, you're probably aware that this week was all about the Twitter IPO. The news was everywhere. Fortunes could be made or lost, tons of money changed hands, debates were all over the news channels. Sure, to some it seems like a sure bet - we all love our 140 characters (we do too!) - how could you lose? The fact remains, however, that playing the stock market is a risky bet.

You know what's not risky? Adopting an HSSV dog. Why?

Five Reasons An HSSV Dog Is A Better Deal Than The Twitter IPO.

1) Buy stock in Twitter, own a teensy-weensy tiny little piece of Twitter. Adopt a dog and you adopt the whole dog! All four legs, the tail (if it has one), two ears, the whole nine yards.

You better not even thinking about parting me out. 

All parts shown are included in adoption fee - including vaccines, microchip and spay/neuter surgery. Collar and tag not included. Dogs without tails are adopted as is - no prosthetic tails will be included.

 It doesn't make you less of a dog, Deniro. Don't look at us like that. 

It's perfectly normal for dogs to not have tails, just so you know. Lack of a tail on a dog does not indicate any defect and no discounts are given for tail-less dogs.

Flight option not standard on all models. Must add ball or squeaky toy.

2) Even if stock prices fly, the actual stock itself doesn't. Lame. You can't play fetch with stock. You can't take it to the beach. And it certainly doesn't make silly faces.

Volunteer Greg demonstrates the proper way to steer your pibble. 

On the flip side it also means your stock will never make faces at you but if you're that concerned about your dog making faces at you then you probably shouldn't have a dog any way.

Didn't we just do a blog about this Sadie? Put that tongue away.

They do that, sometimes.

I can chew stock certificate? 

3) Puppy Vs. Stock Certificate. Do we even need to say any more? PUPPY! 

I can pee on stock certificate? 

Would it even matter if we did say any more? Or would you be so entranced by how stinkin' cute these puppies are that you wouldn't even notice? JUST LOOK AT THEM!

Grace. Dignity. Bravery. Dashing accessories. Daisy.

4) Dogs Don't Lose Their Value. You're not going to lose your shirt in dogs. You might lose a sock or two while you work on what not to chew, but you're not going to find your dog investment went totally awry and now you have to go take a second job eating nails at the circus or something.

Wine. Labs. Some kinds of stinky cheese = age is good.

Plus dogs, like good wine, just get better with age. Nothing beats an old dog. All the fun, half the work. And you probably don't even have to worry about losing that sock if you decide to go for a senior. Much better choice than stock.

Smoochie attack!

5) Stock Doesn't Give Kisses. Sure, it can make you rich. But it won't go nuts with delight when you walk in the door every night. Or give you kisses with puppy breath.  Or look at you like this:

I lurf you.

Or like this, either:

Thanks for the cuddle. 

So if you're over all the hype and think you might scream if you hear one more story with the initials 'IPO' in it, come in and meet some of our awesome pooches. All of the high powered canine supermodels pictured here are available for adoption at our Milpitas Animal Community Center.

Labs Are Made Of Happy.

They are connoisseurs of tennis balls. Passionate partakers of the kiddy pool. Dedicated imbibers of all things treat shaped. 

Treat? Ball? Neither? We're still psyched!

They are The Labs. And they are made of happy. 

They are family fun waiting to happen - just add water. Beach trip? Let's go! Right now! Did you bring the tennis balls? Don't forget the tennis balls! Lake? Fantastic! Large puddle of water? We can work with that! Just grab the ball!

It's like a Dixie cup full of lab. 

If Mickey and Minnie weren't the physical embodiment of the word 'joy' they would almost be a sad story. Unfortunately anyone who uses the word sad around these two has obviously not met them. But this is how their story goes:

Mickey grinning because…well, probably for no reason. 

Mickey and Minnie are found together. They go to a municipal shelter where Minnie is diagnosed with breast cancer. No one claims them. They are split up so Minnie can get surgery. Both dogs immediately become miserable. Mickey is sent to us while Minnie has her surgery because the other shelter desperately needs to make room. 

Minnie smiling for much the same reason. Or lack of reason.

After Minnie recuperates from her surgery, we go pick her up and the two are reunited here. They are besides themselves with joy at being together again. Ridiculously so. They become The Happiest Dogs On The Planet. And they stay happy. It's almost as if they're two dog bodies with one brain in it. And that brain broadcasts the same thing over and over again: HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. 

Mickey ecstatic over the ball. Minnie ecstatic because Mickey has the ball.

The lab report comes back: the doctors got all of the cancer and she is now cancer free.* 

Mickey overjoyed to be biting Minnie's tail. 

Physically, Mickey is estimated to be about eight years old and Minnie around eleven. It's a little tough to tell because they were in pretty rough shape when they came in - thin, with patchy coats. That said, add water or a dog park and both dogs become about six months old. They romp. They run. They chase each other and play King of the Pool. They chase the much revered Ball.  For two senior dogs, they are entirely capable of wearing out athletic adult dog volunteers. 

They do need to be adopted together as they seem to be two components of one single dog. They even sleep in an adorable ying-yang configuration.

It is impossible not to smile in their presence. 

You probably need to smile. You should come meet them. Right now. 

*Yes, we know we said 'lab report'.

Put a Cat on It!

Inspired by the amazing internet phenomenon (where "on the internet, you can put a cat on something and just call it awesome"), we have decided to put some of our available cats on stuff.  Because everything is better with a cat on it!

"I am not amused." -- Hot Dog

Embarrassed by that ridiculous family Halloween photo?

Tah-Dah!  It's Bronx!  Much better.

Put a cat on it!

ZZZZZZZZZ...

 Trapped in a super boring meeting at work?

"A game of I Spy will wake you up!" -- Button the kitten

Put a cat on it!

Oh, carpool lane, how I envy you...

Stuck in endless traffic and tired of staring at your dashboard?

Woo hoo!  Carpool here we come!

Put a cat on it!

It's just... so.. (ahem)... moving...

Tired of art you don't understand?

Oh, now I get it!

Put a cat on it!

Seriously, dude?

Creeped out by the guy taking up the whole bench at the bus stop?

"Get out the way!" -- Leonette

Put a cat on it!

Love the way your hair looks in that one photo of you but hate that your ex is in it?

Instantly better.

Put a cat on him!

Bronx, Button, Joey, Pixie, Leonette and Regina are all available for adoption here at HSSV along with many other wonderful kitties.  Come visit and we'll be happy to put a cat on you!