Bringing new pets into your home is not always easy, but the bond you build with them can bring you more happiness than you could imagine.
From now until Aug. 31, NBC 7 and Telemundo 20 San Diego are partnering with local animal shelters and rescues to find forever homes for thousands of pets.
In honor of our Clear the Shelters pet adoption campaign, we wanted to introduce you to the furry friends that put smiles on our faces as soon as we get home.
Are you thinking about adopting a pet? You can find a list of adoptable pets and local participating shelters here. Some are offering discounted adoption fees this month and even better deals in the coming weeks.
Without further ado, meet the pets of our newsroom below:
10 photos
1/10
Catherine Garcia
NBC 7 Anchor Catherine Garcia strongly supports the “don’t shop, adopt” mindset. Her two cats, Lulu and Olive, were adopted from a local shelter. The photo on the right shows Catherine holding Olive in her home studio, where she anchored during the coronavirus pandemic. Olive loves nothing more than to take a nap on Garcia and even waits for her to come home every night after work. Meanwhile, Lulu loves her greens in the form of some crunchy lettuce and catnip.
2/10
Mark Mullen
Anchor Mark Mullen says his pooch Finn is the best dog his family has ever had! Photogenic Finn was adopted from the Helen Woodward Animal Center.
3/10
Sheena Parveen
This African village dog named Kimberly belongs to NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen. Kimberly was born in Ndjamena, Chad, Africa, outside a village. She was brought to the U.S. when she was only a few months old through Puppy Rescue Mission, an organization that brings dogs from overseas for military members who find and bond with these animals while deployed. Kimberly probably would not be alive today if she were left to survive in Chad. She has been with Sheena for about seven years!
4/10
Rafael Avitabile
Is there anything finer in life than a nice belly rub or scratch behind the ear? Beebee doesn’t think so. She’s the roughly 13-year-old dog of Telemundo 20 Meteorologist Ana Cristina Sanchez and Digital Producer Rafael Avitabile. This bilingual baby knew in two languages that it was a bit naughty of her to jump into the koi pond at Balboa Park that one time she did.
5/10
Melissa Sandoval
Meet Agatha and Ares! These two sweet rottweilers with Greek mythology names belong to Telemundo 20 Reporter and Anchor Melissa Sandoval. Agatha is 1, and Ares is 11 months old. Melissa says it feels extra special to have Ares in her family because he is the grandson of her original dog, who passed away last year. The photo on the left shows their camping trip for Melissa’s birthday, and the photo on the right is Agatha’s 1st birthday celebration.
6/10
Priya Sridhar
Matching outfits with mom? Chulis, the 4-year-old chihuahua greyhound mix, says yes! NBC 7 Political Reporter Priya Sridhar adopted Chulis from The Animal Pad after she was rescued from the streets of Ensenada. Chulis may be small in stature, but her sense of adventure is big — she’s hiked all of the major local trails.
7/10
Scott Baird
These adorable pets Mango (the cat) and Sadie (the dog) belong to chief photographer Scott Baird. About a month ago, he adopted them from Frosted Faces Foundation, which specializes in finding homes for senior pets. Sadie is 8 years old and loves tugging toys, playing ball, and running around the yard. Mango is a 17-year-old cat, who is very vocal and loves doing what cats do best…sleeping. She and Sadie are figuring out their boundaries with each other and, so far, are getting along well.
8/10
Wendy Warren
This handsome not-so-young man is Bogart. He’s Assistant News Director Wendy Warren’s 16-year-old kitty rescued from the Delaware County Humane Society in Pennsylvania. Here he is in his favorite spot, a sunbeam in her living room. Bogie loves naps and orders his humans around all day long.
9/10
Azucena Barreto
This is Story Producer Azucena Barreto’s son Otis! Don’t let the fluff and those eyes fool you — Otis can become sassy in a snap. He’s a big troublemaker, but it’s because he loves attention! It’s safe to say Otis is a certified mama’s boy (and a proud one). He’s busy living in sunny San Diego and going to dog parks and beaches whenever he can. When Otis is not out there being a clown, he’s busy being a passenger prince while running errands with Azucena.
10/10
CeCe Tellez
Meet the pets of Producer CeCe Tellez. Cash/Cashew/Cash Money the dog is going to turn 3 in December. CeCe and her husband fostered him from Two by Two Rescue in Alabama. He’s a high-energy goofball, who loves long walks, car rides and dog parks. Cash is very protective of his sister, Cat, who was rescued from atop a tree in Birmingham when she was just a kitten. She’s a curious 5-year-old tuxedo cat that runs the household. Fun fact: Cat chirps like a bird instead of meowing.
