About Us
We are a group of independent advocates working to improve the lives of all abandoned and owned animals in Contra Costa County.
Our Mission
The problem we’re trying to solve
The only legally allowable reason a dog can be euthanized is if they are medically compromised or are a threat to humans. Statistically, this accounts for just 1 - 2% of dogs.
But in Contra Costa County, 50% of shelter dogs wind up on the kill list, even though most of these dogs could live happy lives with families. How do we know? Our group has been saving most of these animals and track them. We have data to back up our efforts saving these animals.
Why we’re here
In short, it’s because in Contra Costa County, there are too many dogs and cats and not enough space for them. Here’s what we’re trying to address:
Extremely limited availability of affordable and accessible spay/neuter options for dogs and cats
Currently no backyard breeding ordinance, and no enforcement of the 1-litter policy
CCAS’s anemic fostering program
Re-building bridges with prior rescue organization
Policies for rescues and the outside volunteers who do a lot of the outreach and find fosters so we can all work better together.
What we do
Advocacy
We work to educate the community about the animal crisis and what we need to do at a grassroots and advocacy level to reform the shelter. This includes:
Interface with elected officials
Attending meetings (Board of Supervisors, Mayor meetings), letter writing and meetings with elected officials, connecting with other advocacy and rescue groups.
Reach out to media
We work in a proactive rather than reactive manner.
Communicate with the shelter
Making sure they know about simple things to change to make it less stressful to help the animals in their care
Work with laws and ordinances
Review existing and planned laws and ordinances to determine if new codes or a revision of old codes is necessary (e.g. ban on backyard breeding in the county.
Rescue and Rehabilitation
For Dogs
•Our team of volunteer Animal Advocates evaluates each dog at the Contra Costa Animal Services shelter to gather important information to help attract potential fosters, adopters, or other rescue organizations.
•We do social media and other outreach to find potential fosters and adopters.
•We transport animals to make life easier for fosters and those who adopt,
•We organize with others to provide medical or special support animals need.
For Cats
•We advocate for a return to a robust CCAS foster program and for increased facility space for kittens and cats, including those injured and recovering.
•We advocate for a strong, ongoing transfer partner and adoption program and for the formation of a cooperative, transparent partnership between CCAS and the multitude of large and small rescues in the county.
•We’re a champion for accessible, high-volume spay/neuter opportunities for owned and abandoned animals.
•We also advocated for the honest assessment of the animal welfare needs in the county and a commitment to meeting them.
Our Volunteer Leadership Team
Yamin Bilal
Yamin has been actively engaged with Contra Costa Animal Services since 2013, initially in a rescue capacity and later as an official volunteer starting in 2016. Yamin has played a crucial role in networking dogs in need at Contra Costa Animal Services through the creation of multiple social media pages and groups on Facebook. Yamin has been a strong advocate for high-volume fostering and, alongside other volunteers, was instrumental in the initial meetings that laid the groundwork for the current foster program at the shelter. His primary focus remains on ensuring the success of both the foster program and the playgroups.
Corinne Cooper
Corinne is a retired retail manager who is passionate about independent animal advocacy, rescue, transport, and networking. Corinne's focus is on helping CCAS’s euthanasia-listed dogs.
Irina Dyatlovskaya
Irina is an art historian, translator, and interpreter. She’s been working for seven years in independent animal rescue, advocacy, and networking (dogs and cats).
Dessy George
Dessy is an award-winning real estate agent. She evaluates in-need/transfer-only dogs and shares information with our members to network for fosters, medical, adoptions, and rescue partners. She’s liberated hundreds of at-risk, in-need and euthanasia-listed dogs, and there have been minimal to no problems with placements after her evaluations.
Lisa Kirk
Lisa is TNR project manager, 10,000 Cats SNV, and business owner. She’s an elected official in Contra Costa County, a volunteer with Fix Our Shelters, and has been working in cat rescue for 30 years.
Lori Latham
Lori works full time for a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) company. She’s done independent and collaborative work for two years monitoring and problem solving for dogs on Nextdoor, including saving dogs off the street, finding fosters/adopters, and communicating with advocacy members.
Anna Locke
Anna is a solar industry professional and has spent 11 years TNR-ing and advocating for shelter animals and promoting adoptions. She’a also spent more than 15 years advocating for factory farm animals and stopping the dog and cat meat trade.
Bara Sapir
Bara is the CEO of education businesses, an appointed Municipal Advisory Councilperson (MAC) for East Richmond Heights, author, artist, and ordained clergy. She’s spent more than 15 years doing networking, fostering, and advocacy for dogs.
Peter A. Wilson
Pete is a retired university vice president and dean. He’s spent 14 years in cat rescue and volunteering with CCHS and CC4C. In 2018, he co-founded Delta View Cats (DVC) in partnership with the City of Pittsburg and CCAS.