We were lucky to catch up with Delyse Gannaway recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Delyse, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Many of us are all too aware of the heart-wrenching pet-overpopulation crisis. As we witness animal shelters overflowing, not picking up strays and even turning away owner surrenders, we’re seeing all too often that community members are being left to bear the burden – from capturing stray animals to providing shelter for them. That’s where Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive (SSPA) comes in: We are committed to providing innovative and comprehensive behavioral and rehabilitative programs, foster care and placement, adoption facilitation, and training and playgroups for dogs and their families in need in the Greater Sacramento and Stockton area to improve outcomes and keep dogs out of shelters.
SSPA comes from humble beginnings: Around 2012, Director Delyse Gannaway founded the group Pit Bull Socialization & Obedience Crew (PB SOC) at the Sacramento County Animal Shelter. Recognizing the critical need for innovative and supportive behavioral evaluations and rehab services and an outlet for dogs during their stay at the shelter, PB SOC implemented and developed playgroups and programs to benefit some of the most vulnerable pets in the shelter system.
In 2016, we expanded our focus to better serve all shelter dogs in need, focusing primarily on those behaviorally deteriorating, which led to our current name: Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive (SSPA). In 2018, we implemented a full-time behavioral team and the live outcome for dogs at Sacramento County’s open-admission municipal shelter was 93%, and 94/95% when we left at the close of 2020 – up from 65%.
Then we started supporting Stockton Animal Shelter, an underfunded and under-resourced high-intake facility that desperately needed a support system for large-breed dogs. Our staff provided innovative, comprehensive behavioral and rehabilitative programs including critical playgroups, foster care and rescue support, communications support, and adoption retention, all of which proved to sustain a high live outcome alongside a dedicated and compassionate team of volunteers.
This year, we opened our own space in Sacramento as a playgroup and training facility to support our community’s dogs in need and their families – while continuing to be a safety net for shelter dogs. By offering donation-based training services with our Director, who is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, and our two- and four-legged behavioral team members, we’re keeping dogs out of the shelter system, educating the public on dog behavior, and building bonds between dogs and families.
No matter the size, temperament, breed or socialization level of the dogs, it’s about meeting them where they are, understanding all dogs are individuals and supporting them as best we can. And SSPA continues to be that much-needed safety net for our community!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive (SSPA) approaches every dog as an individual, with the understanding, backed by scientific research, that physical appearance does not determine behavior. SSPA is committed to providing innovative and comprehensive behavioral and rehabilitative programs, foster care and placement, adoption facilitation, and training and playgroups for dogs and their families in need in the Greater Sacramento and Stockton area to improve outcomes and keep dogs out of shelters.
When we started 12 years ago, block-headed dogs in particular were being left in shelter kennels, leading to kennel stress at much quicker rates and ultimately euthanization. Dogs were isolated and there were no playgroups or any other socialization opportunities for them. Walking the dogs parallel with each other was considered innovative. Euthanasia was highly determined by looks, and opportunities for those dogs were limited at best. In 2012, around the time we started at Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation as Pit Bull Socialization and Obedience Crew (PB SOC), we began to implement playgroups and other programs for dogs’ well-being. When we started, the live outcome for dogs at the shelter was 65%.
Our program has evolved as we learned, grew, and expanded our mission and vision. In 2016, we expanded our focus to better serve all shelter dogs in need, focusing primarily on those behaviorally deteriorating, which led to our current name: Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive (SSPA). In 2018, we implemented a full-time behavioral team, and the live outcome for dogs at Sacramento County’s open-admission municipal shelter was 93%, and 94/95% when we left at the close of 2020.
Then we started supporting Stockton Animal Shelter, a high-intake facility that is underfunded and under-resourced that desperately needed a support system for large-breed dogs. Our staff provided innovative, comprehensive behavioral and rehabilitative programs including critical playgroups, foster care and rescue support, communications support, and adoption retention, all of which proved to sustain a high live outcome alongside a dedicated and compassionate team of volunteers.
This year, we opened our Sacramento facility as a playgroup and training facility to support our community’s dogs in need and their families – while continuing to be a safety net for shelter dogs. We offer donation-based services in our effort to make them accessible to all in need.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
In 2023, SSPA left the animal shelter we were serving, disillusioned by the state of sheltering and an apparent misalignment in values. In 2024, we found ourselves facing an uncertain future – one that we would have to carve out for the first time outside the confines of the shelter system. Years of working within that system and developing deep knowledge of dog behavior in some of the most stressful circumstances gave us a unique perspective, highlighting the desperate need for accessible guidance and training after bringing home a dog. Without that support, many dogs face a bleak prospect: landing in already-beyond-overcrowded shelters. With this understanding, SSPA developed a new role and niche for ourselves: Offering donation-based guidance, training and dog playgroups to build understanding between dogs and their families and set everyone up for success. With years of expertise in dog behavior and our view of each dog as an individual, we wanted to be that safety net for our community’s dogs and their families. Since we started in May, appointments from folks across Sacramento County and beyond have soared, proving just how needed these services are. Watching these dogs and their families grow together is the most rewarding thing.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
As a small nonprofit, there are two leading methods through which SSPA gains supporters (those who use our services, donors, adopters, fosters … etc.): social media and word of mouth. Sharing the dogs, our work/services and success stories via social media offers a way to connect with folks – dog lovers in particular – across and beyond our area. Often those who use our services and/or support us spread the word among friends, acquaintances and family members, both in person or virtually. With many families in need of an affordable and accessible support system amid struggles with understanding dog behavior, this inevitably leads to more people reaching out for help.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sspetsalive.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sac_shelter_pets_alive/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SSPetsAlive
