bring home
Pets since 1993
You can welcome a cat or dog into your life and give them the family, love, and life they deserve.
This is why we're different
No kill shelter
No cages
What makes us
a special place
Our one-of-a-kind cage-free pet sanctuary and no-kill shelter is largely volunteer run and funded by generous donations and grants from the community. We believe that regardless of health, age, or behavior, every animal deserves love and care.
Our Story
In 1993, Melanie diLuck wrote a magazine article about abandoned animals. Inspired by that experience, she and a small group of volunteers founded the area’s first shelter with a no-kill philosophy for abandoned, abused and homeless cats and dogs. No-kill means we do not euthanize an animal if it has a manageable health condition, or simply to make space for animals deemed easily adoptable. Happy Tails rescues, nurtures and provides shelter along with medical care from local veterinarians before adopting an animal into a safe, loving home. Through our extensive feral cat program, Happy Tails maintains several colonies of healthy, altered cats. This is one more step in helping solve the Sacramento area’s serious pet overpopulation problem.
Happy Tails moved to its current location at 6001 Folsom Blvd in 2009. It’s known as the Patricia L. Holmes Adoption Center. An accomplished horsewoman, Holmes was also a great supporter of animal rescue efforts. Before passing away, she named Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary as among the beneficiaries from the sale of her estate. Today Happy Tails is run by three paid staff and more than 200 volunteers. Funding for our 501c 3 comes from monetary donations, grants, bequests, fundraising events and adoption fees.
How we are helping our Community
At Happy Tails, animals in need can receive the love, shelter, and medical care they need so desperately, and be given a second chance at life in a new forever home. After adoption, any Happy Tails animal can be returned, no questions asked. In addition to adoption services, our organization also provides spay and neuter care, vaccinations, and assistance programs for pet owners who are eldery, homeless, or low-income. Through our feral cat program, we also maintain multiple healthy, spayed and neutered feral cat communities throughout the Sacramento area.
Our Team
Most of the Happy Tails team are volunteers dedicated to making a difference in the lives of Sacramento animals. Volunteers provide cleaning, general animal care, volunteer counseling, and administrative support. A small paid staff provides veterinary care and administrative oversight.
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