Can’t keep your pet? OC Shelter Partners can help.

Imagine you’re 85 years old and your dog is the only one keeping you company day and night, always by your side. You love your dog and he loves you— you’re a perfect team, totally in tune with each other. But recently, you’ve been noticing that it’s getting harder to take care of both yourself and the dog. You begin to worry about how long you’ll be able to take care of your dog, as you rely more and more on other people to help you with your own daily, routine activities. Will you have to turn your best friend over to a shelter?

Every year, 6.5 million companion animals enter animal shelters, reports the ASPCA, many for this very reason: people get older and sometimes sick, and they become dependent on others for their own care. They believe they have no choice but to relinquish their beloved pets to the local animal shelter or rescue mission.

Luckily, people like Liz Hueg know that the best place for a dog is with its owner, and no one can take better care of Fido than his own family. And if that’s not a possibility, then rehoming is the next best thing. That’s why San Clemente resident Hueg founded OC Shelter Partners in 2015—she made it her mission to help keep pets together with people, especially their original owners. In her first 12 months, she saved more than 1,000 pets from the county shelter and, since then, OC Shelter Partners, a 501(c) (3) charity, has helped countless others stay where they belong: at home. Staffed 100 percent by volunteers, every penny the organization receives goes toward helping pets in need and keeping them at home with loving families.

“You’d be surprised by how many pet owners come to the shelter out of desperation, either because of economic issues or a lack of knowledge about available options,” Hueg says. “Quite often, the problems that brought them to the shelter are easily solved.”

These problems can include a lack of training, lifestyle changes, health issues, a move to a new home, insufficient time or energy for the pet, and many other complicated issues. OC Shelter Partners addresses all these problems, and they find solutions. Where necessary, the organization can direct pet owners to partners who can provide free or discounted food, veterinary care, flea treatments, training, and spay and neuter services. The staff at OC Shelter Partners analyzes each pet owner’s situation and finds a way to turn it around, connecting their partners with the people who wish to keep their furry friends at home.

Hueg has met many people who thought taking their pets to the shelter was their only option. One client felt he had to give up his dogs, because he traveled a lot for work. Hueg found a partner who could offer low-cost doggie day care, and the pet owner was able to keep his pets.

Hueg told the story of an 11-month-old pit bull’s owner who spent thousands of dollars trying to cure his dog’s severe mange. Hueg recommended a specialist, an OC Shelter Partner, who provided services at a discount. It only took three months of medication to restore the dog to health.

“On any given day, sitting in that room with these families, you see the best of the best and the worst of the worst,” she told the Orange County Register. “You see people who are surrendering pets they desperately love because they know something is wrong and they can’t afford the care. When we can help them … it’s amazing.”

Another client was moving to an area known for its coyote population—he didn’t feel he could bring his two cherished dogs to such a place, so keeping his pets wasn’t an option. Hueg offered to find a foster home for his dogs, and the client agreed. Through a partner, she found the dogs a loving home, and the pet owner was relieved, knowing his dogs were together, receiving care and affection.

“Our program is equal parts reward and challenge,” Hueg reveals. “We face thankfully, our core group of volunteers has the experience and depth of knowledge to turn them around. It isn’t easy but, then again, nothing worthwhile ever is.”

She looks forward to a day when she can expand her operation to other shelters. “I would love to have a bigger network of volunteers so that we can go around to other shelters and help them put intervention programs in place,” says Hueg.

Whether you’re having issues with taking care of your pets or moving them to a new place with you, it’s comforting to know that you have other options besides surrendering them to the authorities.

And if you’re looking for a way to volunteer or give back, consider volunteering for OC Shelter Partners’ kitten bottle feeding foster program, which gives young shelter kittens their only chance to live. Since the foster program started three years ago, more than 750 kittens have been saved through the tireless efforts of volunteer bottle feeders.

Remember, leaving your pet at a shelter isn’t the only solution. Make it your last resort!

With the rise in popularity of all-natural, all-organic food and treats for your pet, it comes as no surprise that businesses around San Diego County are doing their best to keep up with pet owners’ demands. This trend, however, goes far past just normal kibble and dog bones—you can now find bakeries that are 100-percent specialty animal treats! True to their owner’s desires, these tasty treats are also typically made with wholesome ingredients that even pet owners might enjoy! Not that I recommend eating dog treats, but consider these enticing ingredients: sweet potato, peanut butter, beef stock … these are some of the most popular ingredients in specialty pet treats today. With all the hype surrounding dog bakeries, I had to test them out for myself. I took my super adorable (yet sometimes picky) pit bull mix Iris around to numerous bakeries in the county, and here I count down our top three.

THE ORIGINAL PAW PLEASERS

SPLASH AND DASH GROOMERIE AND BOUTIQUE

Going into Splash and Dash, I have to admit it wasn’t as much of a bakery as I was expecting (I guess I should’ve known by the name), but wow, did they have a great assortment of unique pet products and pet food! Scattered around the store front is everything you would need to fully pamper your pet, from collars and accessories to treats and all-natural pet food options. After spending a few minutes in the store and letting the staff know why I was there, they did direct me to their “raw bar” at the front counter that had such treats as turkey wings, salmon skin, and other all-natural “raw” options for your pets. They also had different decorated treats on some of the table tops. After returning home, I looked into this business on both Yelp and their website, and it revealed that they are one of the top- rated dog groomers in the San Diego area. Their customers had nothing but rave reviews for the owner and the services offered at the boutique. This may not be an exclusive dog bakery, but for any grooming needs, I highly recommend checking them out!

Montana Lipton, owner Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique, Point Loma

THE ORIGINAL PAW PLEASERS

This dog and cat bakery prides itself on being the first dog and cat bakery in San Diego. They were established in 1992 and are centrally located in North Park, just minutes from the downtown area and Balboa Park. Upon walking into Paw Pleasers, you can see the colorful array of delicious-looking treats at the counter. The front staff was so friendly, happily describing the different ingredients to us—they even gave a sample for my dog while we were deciding what to purchase! Another thing we learned was that they are also known for their lactose-free ice cream in either peanut butter or bacon flavor … yum! Paw Pleasers also takes orders and can make custom celebration cakes for dog birthdays, obedience graduations, and more! pawpleasers.com

Cakes made to order are just one of the treats found at the Original Paw Pleasers bakery for pets

DEXTER’S DELI DEL MAR

Dexter’s Deli is so much more than just treats—they really are Del Mar’s one-stop shop for all your pet’s needs. Situated on Camino Del Mar in downtown Del Mar, Dexter’s Deli prides itself on being the “original” pet health food store. They are not a national chain but simply a small local business that prides itself on quality and customer service. Dexter’s Deli has one product that really sets them apart and that’s their Dexter’s Naturals treats. These fresh-baked biscuits come in two flavors, are raw food, and are all locally made. I purchased a bag of the coconut flavor while I was there, and they are dog tested and approved! Their latest recipes are all gluten-free and they offer options for every dog.

Dexter’s Deli has two other San Diego area locations, so check out their stores in North Park and Carlsbad, too, if you are in the area. dextersdeli.com

There are still so many more places to explore that offer a variety of healthy and all-natural dog and cat treats—this is just the beginning! If you’re in the San Diego area, I highly recommend visiting any of the businesses listed above, as well as jumping online to see if you can find something new! All in all, each place we visited was extremely friendly and very open to talking about what they use to make their products and where they source their ingredients. As an animal lover and owner myself, it’s refreshing and fun to see the pet food industry taking off, and San Diego being in the forefront of keeping our animals happy and healthy!