|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A Walnut Creek-based animal shelter formerly known as Animal Rescue Foundation, or ARF, announced a new name Wednesday, relaunching as Joybound People & Pets.
The shelter and foundation were originally founded by Major League Baseball manager Tony La Russa in 1991, but La Russa severed ties with the foundation in March 2023 after expressing dissatisfaction with its leadership. The foundation said at the time that the decision was mutual, which La Russa disputed.
The shelter marked the relaunch with an event Wednesday, featuring local elected leaders to commemorate the introduction of the new name.
Another celebration will be held at the shelter on Saturday, with an adoption event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. hosted by multiple Northern California adoption groups.
The shelter is located at 2890 Mitchell Drive in Walnut Creek.
“The name Joybound reflects our longstanding commitment to forming and supporting strong human-animal bonds to bring greater health and happiness to dogs, cats, and their human families,” CEO Susan Lee Vick said in a statement.
Saturday’s event will include music, face painting, food trucks, ice cream and more. The first 100 pets can receive free microchips, whether they are adopted at the event or brought by existing owners.
In addition to adoptions of rescued pets, Joybound provides training, veterinary care, assistance with food and supplies, therapy and service animal programs.
The nonprofit organization plans to expand outside of the Bay Area and start offering vocational training programs for careers in pet grooming, dog training, and veterinary nursing, according to a news release from the organization.
Joybound has placed about 50,000 pets in new homes since its founding, according to the organization. State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, wished the organization well in a statement. “I congratulate Joybound on this milestone and look forward to hearing more stories about how pet adoptions are enriching so many more lives,” Glazer said.
Joybound also moved its online presence from arflife.org to joybound.org.
The organization was originally founded as Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation after the coach found a stray cat on the field during a game at the Oakland Coliseum in 1990.
He and his wife Elaine La Russa launched ARF the following year and maintained ties with the organization until a dispute last year involving a dog that escaped during its adoption process and the dismissal of a longtime volunteer. La Russa’s family sent the organization a cease-and-desist letter restricting the organization’s use of his and his family’s name and likeness. The organization maintained that its board had already voted to cut ties with the Hall of Fame manager.
