HI, I’M TANYA

One day a shelter dog came into my life and changed it forever. The love I felt for this dog, in stark contrast to my recent discovery that people across the nation were surrendering their beloved pets to shelters, was incomprehensible. I was deeply impacted by the abhorrent reality that others weren’t loving, cherishing, and doting on their pets in the same manner that I was.

My advocacy for shelter pets began in 2022. Living in Seattle, a city not plagued by high-kill shelters, I shifted my focus to the nearest state in crisis—California. I toured several Los Angeles shelters and collapsed in tears walking the endless rows of kennels, locking eyes with every innocent soul on the other side of the cage. To this day, the shelters of LA remain the coldest, darkest places I’ve ever been. I’m haunted by the cries for help and the magnitude of this crisis that we, as a society, created.

Simply looking the other way or pretending this crisis didn’t exist was never an option. I started networking for dogs in the high-kill shelters of California by creating social media posts for them. Some of my efforts involve downloading photos, videos, and writing bios for the dogs at greatest risk in hopes of getting them adopted or rescued in time. I hope to inspire others to be a voice for the voiceless, to adopt a shelter dog, and to drive meaningful change.

Contact me at  tanya@calishelterdogs.com