Kitten Match: Helping Families Find the Perfect Pet

COVID-19 has changed many things about how we approach saving lives at HSSV. We are a resilient organization, though, and in every difficult situation, we believe there is a silver lining to be found.

Because we are practiced at piloting new programs and processes, being nimble and adjusting regularly to meet the changing requirements of our county and California, we embrace opportunities to try new things that will help us save lives not only during these challenging times but also will help inform our processes and programs well into the future.

A new pilot program at HSSV called Kitten Match is one such program. Through this adoption program, applicants complete a survey describing what qualities they are looking for in their new kitty and entrust our Adoptions team to select the kitten they think will make the perfect addition to their family.

As an HSSV supporter, you are likely aware that animal shelters experience a massive surge in homeless kittens during the spring and summer when the weather is warmest. This year, the number of kittens born has continued well into the fall due to the warm weather. Caring for these kittens and finding them great homes is a big job even under the best circumstances, so you can imagine how much more complicated it’s become with the impact of social distancing restrictions on our normal procedures. The Kitten Match program addresses this obstacle by allowing us to bypass time-intensive video appointment scheduling and facilitation.

What began as a mere experiment has become a wild success, with almost 1,550 kitten adoptions (470 of which were through the Kitten Match program!) and countless rave reviews from adopters since the program’s launch in June. Talk about making lemonade out of lemons! If anyone you know is interested in finding their Kitten Match, they can learn how to participate here.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for believing in our work and showing your support through these times and all the times before! We appreciate you so much!

Do you want to be a champion for kittens? Or are you most inspired by innovation? We have specific ways you can help now or in the future. Find ways to support our innovative programs and make a huge impact on the lives of animals and people! Be sure to also check out how you can impact our future with a planned gift. Contact Bridget Keenan at bridget.keenan@hssv.org or 408.942.3006, with any questions.