Humane Society Silicon Valley Becomes the World's First Model Shelter

    SAN JOSE, CA, October 03, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) and the Koret Shelter Medicine Program of the University of California at Davis are proud to announce that HSSV has just achieved model shelter status by demonstrating and documenting that it meets all 543 "must, should and ideal" standards set forth by the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV). The first shelter ever to earn this distinction, HSSV is leading the charge for humane treatment of animals.

The ASV created the guidelines to protect homeless animals from suffering and disease and ensure that shelters provide the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare:

- Freedom from Hunger and Thirst: All animals have ready access to fresh water and appropriate diet to maintain health and vigor.
- Freedom from Discomfort: All animals have an appropriate environment to reside in, including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
- Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease: Preventative care and rapid diagnosis and treatment are made readily available.
- Freedom to Express Normal Behavior: Animals are given sufficient space, proper facilities and the company of animals of their own kind.
- Freedom from Fear and Distress: Conditions and treatment are ensured to prevent mental suffering.

ASV guideline co-author Dr. Kate Hurley of the Koret Shelter Medicine Program at the University California, Davis had this to say:

"My colleagues on the ASV board and I crafted the guidelines in the unshakable belief that providing great care would amplify lifesaving in animal shelters. We needed a shelter to show not only that the standards exist as a model, but that they can actually be accomplished and maintained. Words can't explain how it feels to see our vision in action at HSSV."

HSSV is committed to sharing knowledge and best practices within the industry to help save more animals across the country. Carol Novello, President of HSSV, says:

"Thanks to Dr. Cristie Kamiya, our Chief of Shelter Medicine, HSSV is not only positioned to save more lives in our community but also to help other shelters improve the quality of care for homeless animals."

For more information, contact Executive Publicist Michelle Tennant Nicholson at [email protected] or 828-749-3200.

Online press kit: www.HumaneSocietySiliconValley.OnlinePressKit247.com
Public site: www.HSSV.org

About Humane Society Silicon Valley: Humane Society Silicon Valley (HSSV) is an independent, privately funded, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving people and pets for over 85 years. As an independent non-profit organization, HSSV does not receive funding from Humane Society of the United States, ASPCA or state and federal government entities. HSSV offers quality adoptions, affordable spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping services, pet care services and education programs to enhance the human-animal bond. Established in 1929, HSSV has adopted more than 500,000 animals into permanent, loving homes. Animal welfare is their top priority and their mission is to save and enhance lives. For more information, visit www.HSSV.org.

About Carol Novello: Carol Novello serves as President of Humane Society Silicon Valley, serving one year on their Board of Directors prior to her current role. Her work at HSSV has resulted in marked increases in the rescue organization's adoption numbers, save rates and the number of animals receiving care. Prior to entering the field of animal rescue, Carol was a senior executive at Intuit where she held numerous positions including President of MasterBuilder Software, Vice President/General Manager of QuickBooks Online and Vice President of Marketing for QuickBooks and Small Business Services. Carol earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and is proud to include three rescue animals in her family: a German Shepherd dog named Tess and two cats, Langley and Bodie. For more information, visit www.HSSV.org.

About Cristie Kamiya: Dr. Cristie Kamiya [say Kuh-ME-Uh] serves as Chief of Shelter Medicine at Humane Society Silicon Valley and is one of only a handful of residency-trained veterinarians in the specialized field of shelter medicine. She completed her three-year shelter-medicine training program at University of California - Davis and now oversees both Shelter and Medical Operations for HSSV. A member of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians (ASV), Dr. Kamiya led the HSSV initiative to become the first model shelter in the nation to meet all the ASV Guidelines. She travels all over the country and the world providing volunteer veterinary support to organizations in need. She also fosters underage shelter kittens and loves spending time with her adopted shelter dogs.

About Kate Hurley: Dr. Kate Hurley is the director of the UC Davis Koret Shelter Medicine Program. She began her career as an animal control officer in 1989. After graduation from the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine in 1999, she worked as a shelter veterinarian in California and Wisconsin. In 2001, she returned to UC Davis to become the first in the world to undertake a residency in Shelter Medicine. Following completion of the residency, Hurley became the director of the UC Davis Koret shelter medicine program. Two of her proudest achievements are co-authoring the "Association of Shelter Veterinarians' Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters" and co-editing the textbook "Infectious Disease Management in Animal Shelters". She loves all things shelter-related, but her particular interests include welfare of confined dogs and cats, humane and effective strategies to manage community cats, infectious disease, and unusually short dogs. She loves shelter work because it has the potential to improve the lives of so many animals and the people who work so hard to care for them.

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