The City of Stockton Animal Shelter is aiming to reunite families with lost pets and find forever homes for rescues.

Under the supervision of Animal Services Manager Beth Vesco-Mock, the shelter has had a 39 percent adoption rate of cats and 24 percent adoption rate of dogs between July 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2020.

Euthanasia numbers were down in comparison to last year, dropping from 13 percent in cats and 15 percent in dogs to six percent in cats and two percent in dogs.

Vesco-Mock, who assumed the role of managing director on July 1, said the animal community in Stockton is “in great need.”

Previously, Vesco-Mock served as executive director of the Animal Service Center of the Mesilla Valley from 2008 to 2017 and had a brief tenure as executive director of St. Louis County Animal Care and Control the same year.

Still relatively new to the city, Vesco-Mock said she has numerous goals to improve animal welfare in Stockton.

“We need a new facility,” she said. “This facility was built in the 1950s. It’s been here a long time and it’s very outdated.”

A new facility would mean the shelter could expand upon their services, Vesco-Mock said.

“We would like to eventually provide affordable medical care to the local community,” she said. “Our hope is to offer more resources to pet owners.”

Resources currently offered by the shelter include pet licensing and microchipping, according to the stocktonca.gov website. Both are effective methods used to track lost pets.

Pet owners who live within the Stockton city limits are able to complete an application for a pet license and mail it in or drop it off at the shelter.

Licenses range from $13 to $32.

In order for a pet to be licensed, it must be current on its rabies vaccination.

When purchasing a pet license, microchipping is required. The shelter sells microchips for $5, with no yearly registration fee.

To inform the public on available pets and resources, the shelter relies heavily on social media.

Facebook is the shelter’s go-to platform for marketing purposes, Vesco-Mock said.

The shelter frequently posts pictures and videos of available pets. They also host walks through the shelter on Facebook Live every Friday at 12 p.m.

One Stockton resident who was inspired to adopt a pet after viewing the shelter’s Facebook page is Sammie Burnett.

Burnett was scrolling through the shelter’s Facebook feed when she laid her eyes on Hooker, a six-month old domestic tabby who was rescued by the shelter.

When Hooker was brought in, he had a fish hook stuck in his paw, which is partially where his name stems from.

“He was a stray, so he was a streetwalker,” Burnett said. “I know it’s kind of funny and wrong, but the name is perfect for him.”

Burnett said when she came across Hooker’s video on Facebook, it was love at first sight.

“He just looked so sweet. He was rolling around and looked like he wanted love,” she said.

Burnett said another reason why she wanted to welcome Hooker into her home was because he resembled Vasco, her cat who died a few weeks prior.

“Hooker helps fill the void for my sons and I,” Burnett said. “We were prepared for him to be scared and skittish when we brought him home, but he was the complete opposite. He was loving and affectionate from the start.”

Lathrop resident Gina Medeiros also adopted from the shelter in 2015.

Like Burnett, Mederios experienced the loss of a pet prior to finding her new furry friend.

“We had lost our Queensland Heeler before her first birthday. She had heart failure and I swore off getting dogs from a breeder after that,” Mederios said.

She searched for dogs at other nearby shelters before finally meeting Tank, a pitbull terrier mix.

“I knew he was the one when I looked at his face,” Merderios said. “He is just a special boy.”

She said Tank brings a calming presence to the household.

“He sleeps with my son every night. He is the best dog we have ever owned,” Merderios said.