For twelve years, the San Francisco Towers’ Pet Club has been meeting to provide a forum for the community’s pet owners to find support and make positive change for their furry friends.
The Pet Club began in 2007, spearheaded by SFT resident Adrienne Jonas, so that residents with pets could connect and support one another. The club’s activities include maintaining an accurate list of the pets that live within the community, having backups in place to take care of pets should anything happen to a resident, advocating for pets’ needs within the community, and creating a space to discuss mutual interests and ideas connected to pets.
Jonas believes that “the best part of pet owners getting together is the support we give each other and the exchange of ideas and information.” All residents with pets are invited to attend Pet Club and a portion of the club is also made up of ‘pet pals,’ residents who don’t have pets but enjoy animals and help take care of other residents’ pets if they are unable.
One of the main goals of the Pet Club is to support residents and their pets if a situation arises where the resident cannot take care of their pet. This is handled in two ways. First: all pet owners are required to have at least two people on file that can take care of a pet, should the resident be unable to provide that care. Second: the Pet Club coordinates support for a resident’s pet in any emergency or unforeseen circumstances. This gives pet owners at SFT the peace of mind that their furry friends will always be taken care of.
The Pet Club supports not only residents who own pets but anyone at SFT who might encounter a pet. This is done through their Pet Policy that was put in place “to protect both the pet owners and non-pet owners, and to ensure that the animals themselves receive responsible care.” The policy ensures that everyone at SFT can live comfortably within the community through general policies such as that “cats and dog must be on a leash or carried at all times when in public areas” as well as more community-specific policies like “refraining from washing pet bedding in the common washing machines.”
The Pet Club has made real change within the community, not only with their policies but also with their advocacy. Many SFT residents were wary about taking their pet out for walks in unpleasant weather or at night. The Pet Club addressed this issue by advocating to SFT management for an enclosed dog run. Their work was successful and residents now have access to ‘The Dog Park,’ an AstroTurf dog run located off of the lobby. Residents can make sure that their pets can take care of their business whatever the weather or if it’s after dark.
Beyond making sure that residents and their pets are well supported, the Pet Club also puts on fun events, such as hosting the Pet Club Holiday Party. In December, Pet Club members, their pets, and interested San Francisco Towers residents gather to celebrate the season.
In December 2019, many dogs and one cat accompanied their owners to the event, where they played together in a safe environment where everyone could enjoy them. The event exemplified Jonas’ favorite part of the club “meeting all of the dogs and cats.” Both residents and their pets sampled special refreshments and residents were given a raffle ticket that they could place in one of three bags labelled dog, cat, or other. Everyone who attended the party received a prize and the bags helped the Pet Club distribute prizes that were appropriate for each resident’s pet. Resident’s without a pet could select ‘other’ for a non-pet related prize.
The San Francisco Towers Pet Club meets on the third Tuesday of every other month. San Francisco Towers residents, both those who have pets and those who love pets, are invited to attend.
