At left, Suna, who has been with Santa Barbara Humane for 136 days, is part of the Santa Barbara Humane Lonely Hearts Club. At right, known for her sweetness and curiosity, Janine has waited 86 days at Santa Barbara Humane to be adopted.
Noah, 47 days.
Janine, 86 days.
Suna, 136 days.
These dogs have resided a long time at Santa Barbara Humane.
The truth is, some dogs or cats take a longer time than others to find a home. The reasons can vary from the animals being camera shy to needing more time to heal from something.
To find them a home, Santa Barbara Humane, which has campuses in Goleta and Santa Maria, has created the Lonely Hearts Club.
And thanks to donors, the adoption fees have been waived for the dogs and cats in that club.
You can learn about the animals at sbhumane.org/adopt, where the Lonely Hearts symbol is on their profile.
They have waited longer than most adoptable animals, who typically move into a home after less than two weeks at Santa Barbara Humane. Some have waited months.
Lonely Hearts Club member Suna has had the longest wait. The 3-year-old shepherd/Norwegian elkhound mix arrived 136 days ago.
The donor-funded behavior program made it possible for shelter and behavior team members to work one-on-one with Suna, who was nervous around new people and uncomfortable around other dogs.
“With love and encouragement from staff, Suna has blossomed into a clever and confident canine who loves playing with a ball and spending time with people,” Santa Barbara Humane said in a news release.
“For other Lonely Hearts Club members like Janine, a 2-year old shepherd, the wait to find a family is the easy part,” the nonprofit continued. “Janine came to Santa Barbara Humane from Fresno, where she was found tied to a tree with another dog. Their chains had become entangled, and Janine could barely move.
“Despite all the adversity Janine has had to overcome, she is a sweet, smart, and curious dog who enjoys exploring and spending time with her human friends,” Santa Barbara Humane said.
Dori Villalon, the Santa Barbara Humane chief operations officer, said the Lonely Hearts Club members are special and that the nonprofit wants to prepare their adopters for a successful experience. “Training classes can play a big role in keeping these animals in their new homes. Not only do the classes teach the dogs and their owners how to overcome behavioral issues, but they are a great bonding experience.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
