The tiny puppy snuggled in her owner’s arms, her crystal-clear blue eyes a stark contrast to her muddy paws and fur.
The 8-week-old husky pup had just received a distemper-parvovirus vaccine. The shot is considered a “core” vaccination to protect against canine distemper virus and canine parvovirus, two highly contagious and potentially lethal pathogens found in dogs.
But neither the puppy nor her owner has regular access to veterinary care.
That’s where Hungry Tailz Rescue comes into play.
The nonprofit, based in Stockton, is dedicated to helping homeless, abandoned and neglected animals.
The organization was founded last June by Soledad Muñoz after she began noticing a large number of stray animals downtown.
What started as Muñoz’s personal mission — driving through the city every Friday to feed and care for animals in need — quickly grew into a community effort.
“We reached out to other rescues trying to see if they can take these dogs, and every shelter was full,” Muñoz said of her early work with street animals. “It got to the point where we were like: This is much bigger than us, so we have to try and do more for them.”
As more people began helping Muñoz, the weekly event turned into something bigger, prompting the creation of the nonprofit.
“We looked into how to be a 501(c)(3) rescue, and it helped open more doors for us,” Muñoz said, noting the nonprofit designation allows the group to receive donations such as leashes, medication, food and other supplies.
On Friday, Muñoz and five other team members loaded a truck with food, water, feeding trays, dog treats, medicine, leashes, collars and pop-up tents, and headed for the Crosstown Freeway in downtown Stockton. A homeless encampment occupies a stretch beneath the overpass near the Department of Motor Vehicles on south Lincoln Street.
When they arrived, they found two litters of puppies — three 8-week-old huskies, and two 14-week-old pit bull mixes — plus three adult dogs living in rusty crates covered with tarps and fitted with filthy bedding. A small white-and-brown terrier mix with floppy ears walked across the dirt- and weed-covered lot to greet the Hungry Tailz workers.
When the food was doled out, a large Siberian husky with one blue eye and one brown eye got a little carried away. The dog picked up the disposable metal serving tray being used as a feeding bowl and carried it off in his mouth, spilling kibble as he went.
The group does what it can to help, including rescuing, fostering and adopting animals.
One such success story is Naya, a hairless puppy found in a Stockton homeless camp with marker scrawled across her wrinkly skin. The cruel culprit had even inked false eyebrows on the dog.
“When you see the animals through (a) picture (on a website), there’s a barrier — like you feel bad. But coming to see them in person, it does hurt a bit more, especially seeing the puppies,” said Ariel Hernandez, a foster for Hungry Tailz.
Volunteers got Naya off the streets, treated for mange and settled in with a foster family, who soon adopted her. The perky pup has now fully healed.
Hungry Tailz operates with the support of 20 foster homes that care for 60 animals at any given time, Muñoz said.
“I have gone through at least 10 (foster dogs),” said Hernandez, who has been fostering with the organization for a year. “I’ve been able to see a family fall in love with the dogs and be matched. When you take care of them for so long, you want to keep them, but you know that a family is willing to dedicate all their time to them and take that responsibility off you so you can save something else.”
The work that Hungry Tailz is doing has gotten national attention. Both Newsweek and People magazines detailed Naya’s plight and the nonprofit’s work. And now, closer to home, the organization is hoping to get on the radar of City Council members, who could then potentially offer a helping hand and urge others to do the same.
The council has not provided comment on the issue.
More needs to be done, Muñoz said, noting: “We do what we can, but it’s much bigger than our small group.”
Hungry Tailz is hoping a shout-out from the council will bring in more volunteers and donations so the group can continue offering essential medical care to homeless animals, including vaccinations, flea and tick medication and spay/neuter services to help reduce the number of strays in the city.
“These poor pups need help,” Muñoz said. “Moving the homeless people around also hurts the animals too. Most get left behind and (end up) having babies left and right.”
To help get stray off the streets, the group regularly hosts adoption events in and around Stockton. Check out their Instagram account for upcoming happenings and available dogs.
“My hope is that with more donations and financial help, we are able to expand and go to different areas, cover more areas of Stockton and make a bigger difference — saving twice as many animals, spaying and neutering more animals and gaining more fosters that are willing to take litters of puppies that we find every Friday,” said Anna Hernandez, Hungry Tailz’s secretary.