A program for orphans ... orphaned pets, that is

" A place for orphaned pets: SPCA program places animals in new homes"

"The Sido program, named for a collie-sheltie mix who narrowly escaped a death sentence in 1979 after her owner committed suicide and left a will demanding that Sido be put to sleep, finds new homes for orphaned Bay Area pets."

Animals grieve, too ...

Louisa DeRosa, Sido's animal grief counselor:

"Heathcliff here was so depressed when we got him," she said of a Sido cat currently up for adoption. "He'd put his face up against the wall and just stare at it."

"The Maine coon cat refused to eat, became anorexic and had to be hospitalized; his lifelong friend Tang, a Siamese mix, paced and cried, worrying about Heathcliff on top of dealing with the same loss...."


Another great animal organization in the Bay Area is Pets Unlimited, which rescues shelter animals who are scheduled to be euthanized or sold for medical research, and gives them a place to stay until they are adopted into new homes. Check out their Fairytail Endings page.