We’ve been working hard to find ways to improve the lives of the animals while they are in our care.  Small dogs are often extremely frightened when they come into the Shelter since they are surrounded by much larger and much louder dogs in the kennels.  We wanted to find a way to house these little dogs in a new way.  So, we found a room to remodel and with the help of multiple volunteers we repainted the room and filled it with comfy furniture and bedding to make “Smallville”.  Now, little dogs will live in this room together without cages and away from the noise of the “big dog” kennels.  We have already noticed a major change in the behavior of the first small dogs that we’ve placed in this room.  They are much less stressed and outgoing!

Lynda Dann (www.lyndadann), artist and Oakland Animal Shelter volunteer, painted each of the Shelter’s animal socializing rooms with themed murals.  Dann donated a large amount of her time for this project and the rest of the costs were co-sponsored by Friends of the Oakland Animal Shelter (www.oaklandsanimals.org) and Pet Food Express (www.petfoodexpress.com).

The staff and volunteers of the Oakland Animal Shelter have been making the Shelter warmer and more inviting for visitors. “Many people imagine animal control facilities as dark, depressing institutions and therefore won’t adopt from them” says Oakland Animal Shelter Director Adam Parascandola. “Our goal is to make our Shelter a fun, comfortable destination spot for families to meet all of our adoptable animals.  These murals are an important part of this project.” 

Lynda Dann has transformed each socializing room to make the visitor feel as if they are standing in the center of a garden, undersea world, and an expansive meadow.  Dann says “The first two murals, “Zoe’s Garden”, and “Mr. Zip’s Aquarium, honor the spirits of two treasured cats who saw both myself and my husband through some difficult journeys.  The third mural, “Vincent’s Magic Mountains”, celebrates the memory of hikes taken through the years with my late brother and our various family dogs.”

Dann has lived in Oakland for over 23 years and has been a Shelter volunteer for nearly three.  Her paintings and artwork depict real or imagined objects one might find in nature. Dann says “This project is very special to me.  I wanted to create environments for the cats and dogs by giving them magical imagery as backdrops.”

Oakland Tribune article, http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_8983340