Everything a Shelter
Should Be

By John Bennett

From the first moment I'd heard of Maddie's Pet Adoption Center I wanted to see it in person. It sounded so unique. Imagine being able to visit adoptable cats and dogs in a relaxed and comfortable habitat where you can see their true nature. This past Feburary, Janet and I finally made a trip to San Francisco and visited the SPCA's Maddie's Pet Adoption Center.

At first sight, it was evident that this was no ordinary pet shelter. A very contempo

A cat's paradise -- one of the plush habitats at the S.F. SPCA

rary modern design greeted us and I notice that there are many windows, some of them with cats and dogs looking out at me. Upon entering the complex we were greeted by an open reception area, a casual sit

ting area, and an information booth staffed with a very friendly and helpful volunteer. One of my first questions was why the volunteers had numbers on their nametags. It turned out that there is an extensive training program and each volunteer has a skill level based on his/her experience with animals and the training that was completed. As I continued to look around, I found an information kiosk loaded with literature covering every aspect of dog and cat behavior, training, general Q& A's, and local regulations and assistance guides.


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A cat treehouse -- no dogs allowed!