Credit a unique friendship between a deaf puppy named Banshee and Chris Teicheira for helping bring unattached dogs and their new best friends together.
It is why this Saturday a second adopt-a-pet event is taking place at the Deaf Puppy Comedy Club named in Banshee’s honor.
Dubbed “Mimosas and Mutts”, it is being conducted from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in conjunction with the Manteca Animal Shelter at 127 North Main St.
The event itself is free. But you have the option for what Teicheira says may be an offer of bottomless Mimosas for $25.
A similar event on St. Patrick’s Day, besides helping adopt dogs, also raised $3,000 for the animal shelter.
That is in addition to $1,000 the American Legion Post 249 donated in Teicheira’s name in memory of his beloved Banshee.
The deaf Australian cattle dog, for whom the comedy club is named, passed away before it opened.
Teicheira, who just might be the quintessential old-school Mantecan, has been supportive of the Legion over the years. He also stepped up to be “roasted” March 30 at an event benefitting the post.
Credit the bonding between Banshee and the Manteca High graduate raised on a dairy farm turned alfalfa harvester with a gig as a comedian with providing a unique stage for helping other dogs and the people whose lives they end up changing.
Teicheira is impressed with what volunteers and the city working in concert have done in the past year or so for the welfare of animals in Manteca.
He noted on a first time visit to the animal shelter that the dogs all perked up.
It wasn’t because of his presence, per se.
Instead, Teicheira noted, how when someone shows up outside their kennels besides staff, it means they are likely going to be taken for a walk.
“It’s great what they have done,” Teicheira said.
One of those efforts — the Doggie Day Out program — has been popular with Manteca residents.
It involves either taking a dog in the shelter for a walk or fostering a dog for a week or more.
Since it started in January of 2023, more than 500 volunteers have participated with 82 of them adopting a pet.
The program is managed by volunteer Raquel Fresquez.
Some residents foster a cat or a dog for 30-60 days until they find their forever home. Some foster newborn kittens until they are old enough to be spayed or neutered.
Changes allowed the shelter to gain no-kill status in 2023.
That’s because 91% of all animals that came into the facility last year were adopted into new homes.
Two years ago, 47% of the animals in the shelter’s care had a live outcome.
Visit the Manteca Animal Shelter webpage to learn how you can become a volunteer.
To adopt a pet, visit the shelter at 115 E. Wetmore St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or call the shelter at (209) 456-8270, or visit https://24petconnect.com
