YourCentralValley.com
FRESNO, Calif.
(KSEE/KGPE) – Stray dogs can be found all over Fresno County, especially since animal rescues and shelters continue to be overcrowded with animals — which is why ordinary residents are stepping in to try to help the strays, using their own time and money.
Jeremy Provencio is one of those people who dedicates his time, money and energy to ensuring that stray dogs are safe and do not end up surrendered in the already overcrowded shelters.
Provencio is the founder of Pawfinders, an organization focused on finding lost pets and trapping stray dogs to find their owners or get them to rescues.
Before helping the stray animals in Fresno County, Provencio was living in Alaska.
He was diagnosed with bladder cancer and returned to the Central Valley to be closer to Stanford for his treatment.
When he became unable to work in Alaska he turned his attention to fulfilling a long-time dream of helping owners find their lost pets.
Provencio says January 2024 was been unlike anything he’s ever seen before.
“No rescues were taking the dogs I was saving fast enough and all the fosters were full.
Many of the local rescues are breed-specific and even when they aren’t, they fill up quickly,” Provencio said.
“Even the out-of-state rescues are at capacity.”
Provencio says has been continuing his cancer treatments since moving to the Central Valley while still dedicating his time to volunteering.
He says he saw plenty of dogs that were left stranded as rescuers would not be able to save them until a foster was available.
“It was time to build kennels and provide a solution,” he said.
In November 2023, Provencio created Valley Fosters, a volunteer-based rescue organization.
It provides short-term foster holds for stray dogs and owner surrenders – and also provides animals with long-term foster holds until the dogs are adopted or rescued.
Provencio says he has found 16 dogs living in an abandoned house slated for demolition – and found that three generations of puppies were born there in less than a year.
But through his hard work and dedication, he found many animal-loving people in the community willing to help by offering to foster or provide services to help the animals.
“I have over three years of trapping experience and five years of finding lost pets.
But fostering is a whole new ballgame.
All of these dogs we are saving come directly from the street…there is no room for error,” Provencio said.
In the first month of Valley Fosters, they rehomed two large dog breeds and found rescues for six adult German Shepherds and their 11 puppies.
Valley Fosters currently has two outdoor kennels in Fresno that provide short-term temporary fostering.
They also hold dogs that must be quarantined for either medical or temperament reasons.
The group is also working on four kennels in Lemoore to foster dogs for longer until an adopter or rescue is found.
Valley Fosters hopes to have eight kennels in three locations for large-breed dogs by the end of March.
They also hope to be able to foster as many as 25 dogs per month.
“I’m thankful that I have some of the most experienced leaders of our rescue community helping me with best practices to implement and advising me every step of the way,” Provencio said.
“We are resourceful, we are capable, and as a team, we are saving lives.”