Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS) welcomed new CEO Adrien Abuyen in June. He comes to the helm with an experienced background in nonprofit leadership at Kos Read Group, SOS Meals on Wheels, and the Job and Housing Coalition.
Abuyen, who grew up in Alameda, brings positive energy, care for people and animals, and a vision of connectivity to the role. Looking at his past experience, he says it may seem surprising that he was chosen to lead FAAS. “You won’t find the word pet or animal on my resume,” he concedes. “But you will find people.”
Abuyen explains that while the mission of FAAS is to serve animals, FAAS also serves people. “Where the animals are, so are people in our society. We’re totally intertwined.”
He goes on to say that, “One of the things that really attracted me to [FAAS] is that they’re not just thinking about the life cycle of an animal. They’re thinking about the life cycle and how that’s co-mingled and partnered with people.” He points to the Healthy Pets, Healthy People program, which provides low cost resources for pet owners, and the Pet Loss Support Group for grieving pet owners.
Abuyen also tells the Alameda Post that FAAS provides emergency holds for pets whose owners may be experiencing homelessness or domestic violence. In those cases, if a person is unable to care for a pet, FAAS will house their pet until they are ready to take them back. He explains that the question FAAS considers in such cases is, “What will keep that pet in your home and (maintain) your relationship with your animal?”
Abuyen has a strong connection to Alameda. His family moved from the Central Valley to Alameda, so he grew up here and attended College of Alameda. He has fond memories of biking around town, watching the 4th of July parade, and being a part of the community. It was a contrast to the rural life his parents left behind on the farm. “We had a lot of luck and privilege to be here,” he tells the Post.
As the new CEO, Abuyen is excited to usher in the opening of FAAS’s new Animal Medical Service and Training (FAMST) campus on Bay Farm Island in the fall. The facility will host a high volume spay and neuter clinic, which is sorely needed by the community. Currently, FAAS has to take animals to Pleasanton to be altered.
“On my third day on the job, I helped load up 26 cats and two dogs into our vehicle,” Abuyen tells the Post. “That’s a lot of work.”
FAAS is hoping that the new campus can serve communities beyond Alameda. Animal shelters across the region saw an increase in the number of animals coming through their doors since the pandemic, resulting in an increased need for services. Abuyen says that University of California at Davis, for example, brought a team to check out the new facility. “They said, ‘How can we replicate this? And can you also provide training?’ And the answer is yes.”
Abuyen points out that we are all connected, especially those of us in Alameda County. Unfortunately, the city of Alameda tends to be a place where people from neighboring cities release pets they can no longer care for because Alameda’s animal shelter has a no-kill policy. “Once we help take care of our neighbors,” explains Abuyen, “Our population of animals will also become under better control.”
Long term, Abuyen is hoping to build out partnerships with community colleges to increase interest in the animal care field to make up for the shortage of veterinarians and veterinarian technicians. He would also like to build relationships between local politicians, shelters, and animal rescues. “There’s actually a lot of connectivity. How do we learn from one another?”
On a day to day basis for FAAS staff members, Abuyen is planning to address staff burnout, a common issue that comes with working for a non-profit organization. His goal is to provide an environment for the staff and volunteers that centers on “empathy, love, and care,” which includes upgrades to FAAS’s current building. “I want to make sure our team has the best care possible,” he tells the Post, “So that when we scale our medical and training campus, we’re not just stretching thinner, we’re building capacity.”
And what about the million dollar question: Is the new CEO of FAAS a dog or cat person? Abuyen laughs and says diplomatically, “I have a dog, but I like both cats and dogs… I would have both in my home but my spouse is allergic to cats.”
Do you have a stray cat in your neighborhood who needs to be spayed or neutered? Contact Island Cat Rescue, the City of Alameda’s Animal Control Officer, or FAAS, who work with Full Circle Cats to humanely trap/neuter/return community cats.
Learn more about the new FAMST facility in its online flip-book.
You can support FAAS by making a donation or by shopping at its Thrifty Kitty and Diggity Dog stores here in town. You can also sign up to foster or adopt a pet at the FAAS website.
Jean Chen is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jean-Chen.
