FAQS

• Where are you located and when are you open?
• What are the cat & dog adoptions policies/fees?
• Do you euthanize?
• Do you have a low-cost spay/neuter program?
• Info about licensing
• Info about volunteering
• Info about microchipping
• What do I need to do to surrender cat/dog?
• Do you give vaccinations/shots?
• Do you have small dogs?
• Do you have a certain breed of dogs?
• Do the animals have a time limit?
• Information about feral cats

Where are you located and when are you open?
We're located at 1121 Sonoma Boulevard, on the corner of Sonoma and Solano Avenue in Vallejo, California. We are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and closed Sunday and Monday.

We ask that you fill out an application which we will keep on file for up to one year. Filling out the application doesn’t obligate you to adopt, nor does it guarantee an adoption. We conduct a basic background check designed to insure you have a positive per history. If you are a renter, we check with your landlord to make sure you may have pets. If you have any other dogs at home, they need to be licensed. Our animal control officers conduct fence checks for all dogs to be adopted by Vallejo residents.

Do you euthanize?
We do not euthanize at our facility.

Do you have a low-cost spay/neuter program?
We have low-cost spay/neuter certificates available to purchase through our community supported 500 Club. To inquire about price and availability of these certificates, please call 707.645.7905 or stop by the BV Humane at 1121 Sonoma Boulevard @ Solano Avenue in Vallejo.

Information About Licensing
Please contact our shelter for information at 707.645.7905.

Information About Volunteering
If you are interested in volunteering with us please call Peter Wilson at 707.645.7905 ext. 113 or apply online below. All potential volunteers are required to attend a one hour volunteer orientation before working at BVHS.
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Information About Microchipping
We sell AVID microchips for $25. You can bring your animal in anytime during business hours. We ONLY microchip domestic animals.

What do I need to do to surrender cat/dog?
Surrender of a cat/dog begins with bringing your pet to the Benicia Vallejo Humane Society. You will complete a surrender form and our staff tne conducts an evaluation of your pet. The surrender form and our evaluation allows us to learn more about your pet's temperament and behaviors. Please contact the Kennel Office for more information at 707.645.7905 ext 101.

Do you give vaccinations/shots?
We do not give vaccinations to the public because we don’t have a veterinarian on staff.

Do you have small dogs?
Yes, we do get small dogs occassionally, but they’re in high demand so you have to check back often.

Do you have a certain breed of dogs?
We have mostly mixed breed dogs so it’s best to keep checking with us to see what we have a available for adoption at any given time.

Do the animals have a time limit on their stay at the shelter?
No, our adoptable animals remain at the shelter until adopted or sent home with a foster family. We are always looking for good foster families. If you are interested in fostering an animal, please call Tina Woody at 707.645.7905 ext 114. Our facility is limited to holding a certain number of adoptable animals. We do our best to create more space through foster homes and holding animals to the best of our ability when we know an animals is going home from an adoptable Kennel. When one animal goes home, we are able to save the life of another by placing one up for adoption. 

Information about feral cats

Q. Why do people hate feral cats?

A. The two most common reasons are the smell and the noise they cause, but there are many other reasons. Feral cats can pose a serious threat to wildlife. If the cats get sick they can spread illness to pet animals. They can also fight with and drive away more docile, owned cats. Some people worry that a child may try to pick up a feral cat and get hurt. Backyards with a group of feral cats can become a breeding ground for fleas and other parasites.

Q. My neighbor says trapping and killing feral cats does not work. Is that true?

A. That is true and we have decades of data to prove it. Even if you could exterminate cats faster than they can breed, new cats would move in to replace them in what is called the "vacuum effect". You can fight the war but you will not win.

Q. What is the "vacuum effect"?

A. When a group of feral cats (called a colony) moves into an area, they set up a territory that they will defend and not leave unless a much better offer comes along. Other cats in the area will know about the colony because of all the smells and noise of cats spraying, going into heat, fighting, courting and mating. This makes the cat equivalent of a “kitty night club now open” sign. To a cat outside of the colony this seems like the place to be. Cats in the colony will try to keep out newcomers with only some success. But if you start to remove cats it will become much easer for new cats to come in. So the more you take away the more will come in.

Q. Is there any way to get rid of a feral cat colony?

A. Yes, you need to pull the plug on the “kitty night club now open” sign. This is done by trapping the cats, spaying or neutering the healthy ones, and releasing them back into the colony. This is called the "TNR" program for Trap Neuter and Return. This puts an end to the noise and smells that make the area a cat magnet. However, because cats are territorial, they will still work to keep other cats out. With all the cats fixed, you will start to see the colony shrink, not grow. Many colonies disappear completely in just a few years.

Q. What happens if I do nothing?

A. If you do nothing the colony will keep growing in size. As it becomes quite large it may split into smaller colonies. The health of the cats can change at any time sometimes resulting in dead or dying cats throughout the neighborhood. Doing nothing is not the humane thing to do.

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