Suppose you’ve decided to get a family pet — as a watchdog, to teach the kids responsibility
or perhaps just for affection and companionship. Should you choose a kitten or puppy or a more mature cat or dog that’s
familiar with the rules?
Not surprisingly, most people choose puppies and kittens, not least because they’re cute — at least for a while. So, what happens to the mature cats and dogs that don’t get adopted?
This question has been a major focus of Boulder Creek’s Shelly Crowley since she set out to find her lost cat, Billy, seven years ago. At the shelter, Crowley was distressed to see how many older animals watched her pass by, apparently hoping to be chosen.
Touched by the longing she saw in their eyes, Crowley did something about it. She started Shelly’s Guardian Angel Project to, in her words, “celebrate the bond between humans and animals.”
The group helps pay adoption fees for older animals at the Santa Cruz County Animal Services Authority in Santa Cruz — normally $95 for a dog and $80 for a cat. The fee covers spaying or neutering, vaccinations, a collar and a leash, and an implanted microchip with identification in case the pet gets lost.
“If you’re looking for love and appreciation, older animals are perfect, especially because they already know the routine of leashes and being gentle with children,” Crowley said, “And besides, they’re house-trained.”
Animals at the shelter that fall under the oversight of Shelly’s Guardian Angels have special tags on their cages. The self-sufficient group has subsidized fees for the adoption of more than 1,000 animals since 2004.
Crowley has herself adopted many animals since the conception of her project, even giving names to some of the wild animals that stroll through her unfenced yard.
Her dedication to wild and domesticated animals earned Crowley a Hero Award from the Santa Cruz branch of the American Red Cross in 2007 and a proclamation from state Sen. Abel Maldonado.
Her boss, Terry Vierra of Boulder Creek Liquors, supports her work by allowing the store to be a drop-off point for clean blankets and towels for shelter animals.
Shelly’s Guardian Angels is funded entirely by the sale of used books and the donations folks offer at the liquor store where Crowley has worked for 20 years.
To honor her dedication to older cats and dogs, the first viewing and petting room in the Santa Cruz County Animal Services shelter has been dedicated to Crowley and her cat, Billy, who was never found but who prompted Crowley to start her advocacy.
Crowley said she continues her work in memory of her husband, Dennis, who died Feb. 14, 2009.
Tricia Geisreiter, who works at the animal shelter, praised Crowley’s efforts.
“The project has been a real asset to us, because it’s a showcase for animals who are older or have been there a while, yet they’re cheaper and still very lovable.”
• Lyse McGilvery, a freelance writer, describes herself as a barefoot dancer who has lived in Boulder Creek since the earthquake of 1989.
How to help
• WHAT: Shelly’s Guardian Angel Project
• WHERE: Send donations to P.O. Box 1596, Boulder Creek, CA 95006; or visit Boulder Creek Liquor, 13141 Highway 9
