As members of the veterinary community we are happy to assist and provide local animal and breed rescue groups with veterinary services for greatly reduced fees.
We treat these rescued pets on a daily basis, donating thousands of dollars in medical services every year. In addition to reduced fees for general veterinary services, many of our veterinarians donate their time performing complicated and complex surgeries like fracture repairs as well more common procedures such as spays and neuters. Other members of our staff regularly volunteer for community events, help at vaccine clinics or hold training sessions and lectures on pet-related topics.
In 1997, Dr. Jay Kerr, Dr. James DeLano, and Dr. Franklin Utchen began discussions to merge Crow Canyon Veterinary Clinic (founded 1981 by Dr. Kerr) and Norris Canyon Veterinary Medical Center (founded 1989 by Drs. Delano and Utchen). The goal was to develop a state-of-the-art medical center for pets and provide for the needs of the growing San Ramon Valley area.
Free Exams for Recently Adopted Rescue Pets
If you adopt a cat or dog from any rescue group, shelter or humane organization you are eligible to receive a complimentary wellness exam for that pet. Just bring in your adoption paperwork within two weeks of the adoption date and your wellness exam will be free (a $49 value). Adoption forms must be presented at the time of your appointment. Below is a list of links to some of the animal rescue organizations we support:
If you are looking to adopt from a local animal shelter or SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), or you have questions about lost or stray animals in your area, we suggest you contact any of the local animal shelters and humane societies in Alameda, Contra Costa County and the surrounding areas. Contact information is listed below.
Public or county/city run shelters are run by the local government and can assist you with questions on lost or stray animals, licensing your pet, aggressive animals or questions on city or state animal ordinances.
Private SPCA or humane society organizations are not formally connected with government-run animal agencies and are independent organizations. Their focus is to rescue and find homes for abandoned animals, provide humane education, and reduce pet overpopulation by providing low-cost spay & neuter surgeries to the public.
ALAMEDA COUNTYAlameda City Animal Control (Public) http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/animalshelter
1590 Fortman Way
Alameda, CA 94501
510-337-8565
Berkeley Animal Care Services (Public) www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/animalservices
2013 2nd Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-981-6600
Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society (Private) www.berkeleyhumane.org/
2700 9th Street
Berkeley, CA 94107
510-845-7735
East Bay SPCA, Oakland (Private). www.eastbayspca.org
8323 Baldwin Street
Oakland, CA 94621
510-569-0702
East Bay SPCA, Tri-Valley (Private) www.eastbayspca.org
4651 Gleason Drive
Dublin, CA 94568
925-479-9670
East County Animal Shelter (Public) www.ci.dublin.ca.us
4595 Gleason Drive
Dublin, CA 94568
925-803-7040
Hayward Animal Services (Public) www.hayward-ca.gov/departments/police/
16 Barnes Court
Hayward, CA 94544
510-293-7200
Oakland Animal Services (Public) www.oaklandanimalservices.org
1101 29th Avenue
Oakland, CA 94601
510-535-5602
Tri-City Animal Shelter - Fremont (Public) www.fremont.gov/
1950 Stevenson Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94538
510-790-6640
Valley Humane Society (Private) www.vhs.org 273 Spring Street
Pleasanton, CA 94566
925-426-8656
OTHER COUNTIESAntioch Animal Services (Public) www.ci.antioch.ca.us/
300 L Street
Antioch, CA 94509
925-779-6989
Contra Costa Animal Services - Martinez (Public) www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/
4800 Imhoff Place
Martinez, CA 94533
925-335-8300
Contra Costa Animal Services - Pinole (Public) www.co.contra-costa.ca.us/
651 Pinole Shore Drive
Pinole, CA 94564
510-374-3966
Humane Society of Silicon Valley (Private) hssv.convio.net/
2530 Lafayette Street
Santa Clara, CA 94050
408-727-3383
Marin Humane Society (Public/Private) www.marinhumanesociety.org/
171 Bel Marin Keys
Novato, CA 94949
415-883-4621
Peninsula Humane Society (Private) www.peninsulahumanesociety.org/
12 Airport Blvd.
San Mateo, CA 94401
650-340-8200
San Francisco Animal Care & Control (Public) www.sfgov2.org/
1200 15th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-554-6364
San Francisco SPCA (Private) www.sfspca.org
2500 16th Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-554-3000
Tony La Russa's Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) – (Private) www.arf.net/
2890 Mitchell Drive
Walnut Creek, CA
925-256-1273
Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care regularly sponsors and participates in community events, including the annual East Bay SPCA Spay Day, where 100 animals are spayed and neutered at no cost for pets living in low-income households. We also donate our time and services at the annual Emergency Survival Expo in Livermore and the Emergency Preparedness Fair in San Ramon, where we vaccinate and microchip pets for greatly reduced fees. In addition, we regularly support numerous animal rescue and non-profit organization’s events and fundraisers every year.
To request donations, sponsorships and/or participation in your local event, please contact marketing@webvets.com. Please include your sponsorship request letter with your request.
We understand that veterinary expenses can arise when you least expect it. That is why we currently work with The Valley Humane Society who, upon review, can assist owners with veterinary expenses for their sick or injured pet.
The Valley Humane Society’s Just Like New Fund (JLN) was founded in 1995 by Pleasanton animal advocate Jackie Barnett. JLN assists with one-time veterinary expenses for sick or injured pets to prevent euthanasia due to lack of funds. JLN has saved the lives of hundreds of companion animals with the help of the doctors and staff at Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care.
One such case was little Bella, a 4 year old French Bull dog who lives with her family in Livermore. Bella was hit by a car, and the resulting injuries—a broken hip, nerve damage in her spinal cord, and severe skin damage over a large portion of her underbelly—meant Bella was barely able to walk, despite large doses of pain medication. Whether the spinal damage would be permanent or temporary was unknown at first, although it became clear after the first few days that the nerve damage was improving. Nevertheless, without hip surgery, she would never be able to walk or play normally again, and would likely be in pain the rest of her life, and by this point Bella’s family realized they would be unable to afford the complete cost of the surgical care Bella required. That’s when Valley Humane Society stepped in. With help from their Just Like New fund the surgery was performed, and Bella was able to go home from the hospital the very next day. She is doing well and her skin is slowly improving from the road rash.
If you would like to assist in saving lives and make a tax-deductable donation to the Just Like New fund please send a check payable to “VHS – JLN”, 3670 Nevada St, Pleasanton, Ca 94566, or call 925-426-8656 for further information.
Jinx
Age: 4 years
Breed: Domestic Long Hair Siamese
Diagnosis: Hit by car, broken rear legs
Jinx was a beautiful Himalayan-mix found lying on the side of the road at a busy intersection in Livermore. A local resident noticed him and thought he was dead until she saw him lift his head as she drove by. Livermore Animal Services arrived shortly thereafter and took him to an emergency hospital in Dublin, where it was determined that Jinx had two broken back legs and was in extreme pain. Unfortunately, Jinx had no microchip identification or collar and would be euthanized in the morning if no one claimed him or accepted financial responsibility for his veterinary care.
In an effort to save Jinx, the Livermore resident contacted all her friends, trying desperately to raise enough money to commit to the medical costs needed to save him. Eventually, her email was forwarded to Safe Cat Foundation, a non-profit animal rescue group in San Ramon, where a member agreed to take Jinx into their foster program.
The next day, Jinx was taken to Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care where it was determined that his legs might be saved, but he needed surgery immediately. Dr. Leanne Taylor and Dr. Frank Utchen graciously donated their time for his surgery, and after seven long hours, and implanting several pins and many wires, Jinx's legs had been repaired. Dr. Utchen and Dr. Taylor then spent many additional hours caring for Jinx, providing care at reduced costs for his weekly follow-up appointments, bandage changes and numerous x-rays. After several months, the pins were removed from his legs.
Today, Jinx is walking and jumping and only has a slight limp. It took over four months to recover from his injuries. Despite all he has been through, Jinx has always been sweet and gentle. He loves attention and constantly purrs and rolls on his back for belly rubs. He is truly a miracle cat.
Read about Jinx's Story in the San Ramon Valley Times by: Clicking Here
Tristan
Age: 4 months
Breed: Domestic Short Hair, Gray
Diagnosis: Three broken legs, amputation
Tristan, a 4 month old kitten used up nearly all of his nine lives in a very short period. The stray kitten that was rescued from the Contra Costa Animal Services in Martinez by Safe Cat Foundation had three broken legs when he came into the shelter. Thought to have been hit by a car, this kitten suffered a broken leg in the front as well as both back legs. After numerous surgeries Tristan's rear leg was amputated as his injuries were too severe. Doing well and even walking without his back leg, Tristan went back into foster care. While recovering, post operative complications led to Tristan bleeding out from his neck.
The foster immediately rushed him to the hospital for emergency care. Tristan had lost so much blood that he was nearly dead. A blood transfusion was his only hope and Tristan has Type-B blood, which is extremely rare (97% - 99% of cats are type A). Fortunately, Vinnie, part of Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center's Blood Donor program was a match and was rushed to the hospital to give blood. Type-B blood is extremely rare and is usually only found in exotic cats, it is even more uncommon that both Vinnie, a domestic orange tabby, and Tristan, a Russian Blue, were both Type-B.
The next day, Jinx was taken to Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care where it was determined that his legs might be saved, but he needed surgery immediately. Dr. Leanne Taylor and Dr. Frank Utchen graciously donated their time for his surgery, and after seven long hours, and implanting several pins and many wires, Jinx's legs had been repaired. Dr. Utchen and Dr. Taylor then spent many additional hours caring for Jinx, providing care at reduced costs for his weekly follow-up appointments, bandage changes and numerous x-rays. After several months, the pins were removed from his legs.
Today, Tristan is doing well and living a happy and healthy life with his new permanent home. His owners have renamed him Zim-Lindiwe (aka Zim) which means "we have waited for you" in Zulu.
Watch the news story on Tristan, seen on KPIX, Channel 5: Click Here
Grady
Age: 3 years
Breed: Pug
Diagnosis: Liver shunt, bladder stones, intestinal
At Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center, we believe that part of our role in the community is lending a helping hand to animals in need. We work with several rescue groups to provide medical services for their foster pets. PROS Pug rescue has been a part of our family at BRVC for several years and is a group that is very near and dear to my heart. This group is led locally by Gena Austin and Jan Grover, and is comprised of a team of volunteers, who open their hearts and homes to Pugs of all ages and levels of need. All their rescue dogs have their medical conditions addressed, big or small. We routinely perform dental procedures, palate surgeries, knee surgeries, and ear/eye/skin treatments on their foster Pugs in addition to routine services like vaccines and heartworm tests. If they have an older Pug with multiple health problems or a special needs Pug that is difficult to place in a permanent home, PROS Pug rescue will place it in a permanent foster hospice home so that he/she can spend their final years in the comfort of a real family. It seems there is nothing they won't do to alleviate the discomfort of a foster dog, and their compassion and dedication know no bounds.
In May of 2009, Grady, a 3 year old Pug, came to me, barely able to lift his head or move. He was dehydrated, vomiting, and had a painful abdomen. I knew from his history that he was born with a liver shunt, an abnormal blood vessel that allows blood that has not been filtered to bypass the liver and go straight back into the general circulation, but he had been doing well living with this condition. The owner reported that he had been getting increasingly ill over the last few days, that he couldn't urinate, and that he may have eaten some q-tips. She, unfortunately, could not afford any testing or treatment, and he was critically ill. The owner had already been in contact with PROS Pug rescue, and without hesitation, Jan Grover told me to do whatever was necessary, no matter the cost. Jan assured me that they would foster him once he had recovered.
Testing showed he had several bladder stones. One had lodged in his urethra and blocked his ability to urinate, causing severe pain, risk of bladder rupture, and insult to his kidneys. X-rays revealed he had indeed eaten a large amount of q-tips that had lodged in his stomach, and of course, he still had the liver shunt he was born with. We were able to push the urethral stone back into his bladder and place a urinary catheter to empty his bladder. Grady was started on fluids, pain medications, and antibiotics, and started to feel a little better. In a stroke of luck, a surgeon was available later in the day and performed three different procedures on this tough little Pug. In a two hour procedure, he had the bladder stones removed, the q-tips taken out of his stomach, and the liver shunt closed. Grady is a fighter and made an amazing recovery and was eating, urinating, and wagging his tail 48-hours later and was discharged from the hospital into the care of a foster home.
Grady has had multiple follow up visits since then. His liver shunt appears to be resolved, his kidneys normal, and he has not eaten any other foreign material. He did, unfortunately, develop bladder stones again in September 2009 and needed another bladder surgery. As always, he did very well with a wagging tail through all of it. We appear to have figured out the reason for his recurrent disease and are hoping that future bladder problems will be avoidable.
Despite all Grady has been through, he has a wonderful personality and finally, a clean bill of health. He has been with a dedicated foster, but is finally ready for his forever home. If you are interested in adopting him, please see the PROS Pug website www.pugpros.org/available.html and check out Grady. Both the surgeon and BRVC extended significant discounts for Grady's surgeries and care, but his medical costs still came to approximately $4,600. Like many rescue groups, PROS Pug rescue suffered a difficult year in 2009. If you are able to help with a donation for his medical care, please see the website www.pugpros.org/donate.html to make a donation. Every little bit counts.
The love and dedication of these volunteers and the boundless joy of each foster Pug never ceases to amaze me. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank them all for letting me be a part of their efforts to help one of my favorite patients find his forever home.
Shann Ikezawa, DVM