Within Alameda’s Harbor Bay Business Park stands a unique building. Located at 2331 North Loop Road, its single story, blue metal exterior is unlike most of the drab multi-story buildings that house businesses specializing in biotechnology, advanced medical equipment, and manufacturing consumer goods.
This building has a special mission—medically treating dogs, cats, and other pets. It’s operated by the Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter (FAAS). And for the animals’ owners, it’s a lifeline to keeping their best friends healthy.
The center was built last year. More than 1,600 pets have been treated since the unofficial opening, FAAS CEO Adrien Abuyen confirmed. So far, services have been limited to other shelters and animal rescue groups, but the center will begin serving the public at large after FAAS holds a formal unveiling, he noted. He’s hoping that will take place later this year.
“We want to do a community grand opening so people can be a part of this place,” the FAAS CEO said. Spay and neutering services are vital to an animal shelter, because state law requires shelters to spay or neuter animals prior to adoption.
Built at a cost approaching $2 million, the building includes treatment rooms, recovery areas for dogs and cats, and examination rooms. The land was donated and the building was created using huge shipping containers to keep costs down. The final design featured a one-story building, which was much more cost-effective than the initial proposal for a two-story $15 million facility.
Donors, big and small, helped bring the center to life, said FAAS Development Manager Liz Ordway.
“The land was donated to us, that’s a really big, significant contribution,” she said. “We had other donors who were extremely passionate about animal care. Those folks came together and are continuing to come together.” On Saturday, the surgical team treated 18 animals in a highly organized and professional manner. Veterinary technicians administered anesthesia and prepped the animals before they were turned over to the veterinarian for surgery. Within minutes, the patients were brought to the recovery area to prepare them for a kennel and a ride home.
The building’s design has attracted visitors from Monterey and Manteca who hope to recreate Alameda’s success in their communities, according to Abuyen.
“They want to know how we can create something like this for that amount of money,” he said. “That’s unheard of. They need to make the dollars go further and that is what has happened here.”
Volunteering is also a central part of the center’s existence, as it is with all other aspects of the FAAS organization. The center has only four staff members including a veterinarian, two veterinary assistants, a veterinary technician and a medical administrator. Some volunteers are students from the UC Davis veterinary school.
“The work we do at FAAS is not possible without volunteers,“ Ordway said. “Their energy, their passion, and their time is incredibly valuable.”
FAAS has a case manager to assist clients who may have difficulties finding housing that take pets. The goal is to keep pets with their humans and avoid the sometimes stressful environment of a shelter.
On May 16-17, the new FAAS Medical Center offered spay and neuter surgeries, vaccines, and microchips to the pets of low-income, elderly, and sometimes homeless owners. It was one of 13 Bay Area shelter organizations receiving event funding from several pet nonprofits—La Russa Rescue Champions, the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, Maddie’s Fund, and the Bissell Pet Foundation. A similar event was held last November.
Saturday’s outreach focused on serving unhoused and very low-income pet owners, including some who live in cars. On Sunday, FAAS staff and volunteers concentrated on senior housing where tenants can keep pets, hosting the event at Linnet Corner.
Volunteers and animal control officers drove to several locations to pick up animals whose owners have no transportation. After the veterinary procedures had been performed, the officers returned the pets to their owners.
At least one resident walked a long distance from an Alameda housing facility to drop off his dog, according to Abuyen. The event was in keeping with the group’s efforts to help those who cannot afford expensive veterinary care.
“We focus these resources on underserved populations,” Abuyen said. “We want to serve those who need it most with the least amount of access.”
“At FAAS we like to say that we care for both ends of the leash,” Ordway added. “We care for the pets and the people who love them.”
David Boitano is a contributing writer for the Alameda Post. Contact him via [email protected]. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/David-Boitano.
