Our Behavior & Training Program provides individualized training for animals who display shy, fearful or defensive behaviors, kennel stress or reactivity while in the shelter environment. These animals are often out of options by the time they come through our doors. Without our intervention, they would have nowhere else to turn to receive the support they need to become ready for adoption.

There is no other animal behavioral rehabilitation center like this in San Diego, making us the only hope for hundreds of our community’s most at-risk animals who would otherwise be unadoptable. What’s more, our center is one of only two in the country, allowing us to share these lifesaving practices with organizations nationwide.

The state-of-the-art Behavior Center at our San Diego Campus is one of our most important lifesaving tools — there, animals live in a facility designed from the ground up to reduce stress and facilitate positive training outcomes. There is no other center like this in San Diego, making us the only hope for hundreds of our community’s most at-risk animals who would otherwise be unadoptable.

Additionally, this vital, multi-faceted program provides free training resources and support through public training classes and workshops, and a library of online resources.

Our Kitten Program has helped more than 30,000 kittens since its inception in 2009. The Jim Lester Kitten Nursery & Foster Center, the first nursery of its kind in the country, established our organization as a national leader in solving the challenges that shelters face in working with this fragile population of animals.

Today, our Kitten Program includes nurseries at our San Diego, Escondido and Oceanside Campuses, along with an incredible network of dedicated, trained foster volunteers who can provide 24-hour care in their own homes. We care for more than 6,000 neonate kittens every year — helping them grow from delicate infants to independent kittens ready to join loving families.

Caring for tiny kittens is no small feat, and our lifesaving support includes everything from bottle feedings to complex surgeries. We are committed to being there for every kitten who comes through our doors, even the most vulnerable ones in need of extensive care.

Our Humane Law Enforcement team is often the first to respond when animals suffer. Receiving over 100,000 calls to dispatch each year, the team has officers in the field seven days a week, dedicated to protecting animals throughout San Diego County by enforcing animal cruelty and neglect laws.

The goal of the Humane Law Enforcement team is to ensure every animal receives proper care as required by law. We accomplish this goal by educating owners about proper care for their animals, responding to reports of animal cruelty or neglect and following up with pet owners after initial citations.

Humane Officers can exercise the powers of a peace officer while investigating animal-related crimes, and respond to and rescue animals from disasters in San Diego and beyond with the assistance of volunteers and our Emergency Response Team.

In addition, animal complaints for the entire county, with the exception of Chula Vista, El Cajon, Coronado and the unincorporated areas, are handled by Humane Officers of San Diego Humane Society. Our field service officers respond to calls about loose animals, injured animals, animal bites and rescuing animals during disasters.

Project Wildlife stands as the primary resource in San Diego County for the majority of wildlife to receive help when they critically need it. As our human population grows, we have less natural space for wildlife, which dramatically increases the need for rehabilitative care and conservation. Every year, Project Wildlife provides more than 10,000 wild animals — from raptors to squirrels and ducks — the best opportunity to thrive, whether it’s specialized veterinary care, injury rehabilitation or simply a safe place to mature.

San Diego County is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the United States, with the greatest number of endangered species. When these animals are injured or orphaned, Project Wildlife is the first line of defense to save their lives. Whenever possible, our goal is to return these animals to their natural habitat to lead a full life.

Our Veterinary Medicineprogram touches thousands of animals who come through our doors every year. Providing world-class veterinary care is a hallmark of San Diego Humane Society and is an essential component of our lifesaving work. Whether it is a basic vaccination, a spay/neuter surgery or complicated orthopedic surgery, our highly skilled veterinary team is there to assist animals in need. Veterinary services are provided for our companion animals to prepare them for adoption and for wildlife to prepare them to return to the wild. Additionally, we serve the community through our Community Veterinary Program, which provides low-cost medical care for pet families in need.

A cornerstone of our program is our Pilar & Chuck Bahde Center for Shelter Medicine, the only hospital of its kind in California. In addition to providing lifesaving care for shelter animals, it also serves as a teaching hospital for the shelter veterinarians of tomorrow.