Sammie's Friends Animal Shelter
Our Mission
Sammie’s Friends is dedicated to providing vital medical care for the animals at the Nevada County Animal Shelter, ensuring that neglected, abandoned, and abused animals are rehabilitated and find their way into loving homes as quickly as possible.
Our Journey
For over 24 years, we have been committed to helping animals get back on their feet. We believe that every animal deserves a second chance, and seeing them transition from dire straits into the arms of a lucky family remains as thrilling today as it was when we first started.
Our Care Model
Sammie’s Friends operates the Nevada County Animal Shelter in Grass Valley, working alongside talented veterinarians to provide the medical treatment our residents need. By prioritizing medical wellness, safety, and a collaborative management style, we create a supportive environment where animals can thrive while they wait for their perfect match.
Finding Your Best Friend
We believe in thoughtful, individualized care, and we celebrate the joy of the adoption process. Our staff is here to help you find a companion whose personality and needs are a wonderful fit for your life, just as so many adopters have discovered with their own new family members.
Connect With Us
We invite you to discover your new best friend by exploring our adoptable animals or visiting our facility in Grass Valley. If you have questions or would like to learn more about how you can support our mission, please reach out to our Executive Director, Lynn Hodson, or visit our website to see our upcoming events and how you can get involved.
- Passionate and friendly staff
- Well-maintained facilities
- Perceived high thrift store prices
7/10 - From Franks to Fido: BriarPatch's "Dogs 4 Dogs" Promotion Gives Back
This National Hot Dog Day, BriarPatch Food Co-op is inviting shoppers to do something good while they fire up the grill.
6/26 - Happily Ever Adoption: Cloud Finds his Forever Home
When Liz Adams first saw “Cloud” featured for adoption on the Sammie’s Friends website, she fell in love with his eyes. That was a few months ago, before Adams and her family adopted the 110-pound Husky-Anatolian mix. “He is wonderful with the kids. We really couldn’t ask for a better dog,” said Adams. But the […]
5/23 - BriarPatch & Sammie's Friends to Co-host Pooch-a-Palooza Adoption Event
GRASS VALLEY, CA – BriarPatch Food Co-op and Sammie’s Friends are joining forces for Pooch-a-Palooza, a tail-wagging dog adoption event happening Saturday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at BriarPatch Grass Valley. Held in celebration of Adopt-a-Pet Day, the event will feature a lineup of adoptable dogs ready to meet potential new families […]
5/4 - Local Eagle Scout Builds “Sniff Spot” to Give Shelter Dogs New Outdoor Space
At the Nevada County Animal Shelter, space is limited. When the shelter is full, the environment can become noisy and stressful for dogs, staff and potential adopters. But thanks to one local Eagle Scout, dogs now have more room to roam, and visitors have a better place to meet their future pets. Spencer Thauberger recently […]
4/16 - new animal shelter
This rendering of the proposed $17 million animal shelter planned on La Barr Meadows Road shows the outdoor play area in the modern facility. The proposed facility includes a medical
10/11 - Oh my goodness! What a week! Please help us in celebrating so many new families and loving homes for so many of our animals. Dogs finding families this week are Jazz, Tater, Morticia, Tot, Zorro, Betty Sue, Magnolia, Lurch and Uncle Fester 🎉 Off to new homes from the Kitty Kove were Cannoli, Winnebago, Spartacus, Autumn, Caroline Forbes, Acorn, Moss, Birch, Fern, Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce, Heart, Vanilla Bean, Lightbulb and Elena Gilbert. 😻 Thank you to ALL of adopters and to this wonderful, caring community that is always ready to pitch in, volunteer and share stories of all our animals in need.❤️ #nevadacounty #adoptdontshop #animalshelter #adoptme #celebrationsunday
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10/7 - The Vampire Diaries litter is ready to pierce your heart and fill your home with love.👹👻 The Kitty Kove is filled with beautiful kittens and cats just waiting for loving homes. Please visit Wednesday through Saturday noon until 5 PM or sammiesfriends.org/adopt.
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10/4 - It’s time for “Celebration Sunday”! Another week gone by, and so many new families to celebrate. The dog house is thrilled that long timer’s Marsala and Boo found their forever families. Also finding homes were ILY, Winnie, Teddy, and Gomez. The Kitty Kove is over the moon that bonded pair Grasshopper and Cricket found a home together! and Flour, Gargoyle and Clover were adopted by loving families! Congratulations to all!! #nevadacounty #animalshelter #celebrationsunday
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10/3 - Starting the day off with a little bit of puppy love. Meet the Addams Family Litter,; Wednesday, Pugsley, Thing, Lurch, Cousin It and Uncle Fester are beautiful little cattle dog mix puppies (are best guess) and are 3 to 4 months old. These fun and friendly kids are available to go into homes on a foster to adopt basis until they are spayed and neutered at which time they can legally be adopted. (This program is available to Nevada county residence only.)
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10/2 - We had a very important delivery to make… with a little kitty time afterward. 🐱💛 We stopped by Sammie’s Friends in Grass Valley to drop off adoption bags for some very deserving cats heading to their new homes! Each Incredible Pets tote is packed with a sample sized bag of cat food, treats, toys, a food scoop, and a can lid to help new families get started with a few essentials. 🐾 @sammiesfriends And since we were already there, naturally we had to spend some time in the Kitty Cove meeting, playing with and thoroughly admiring the current residents. 😻 We’re always grateful for the work Sammie’s Friends does for animals in our community (and pretty happy for any excuse to hang out with the cats, too)! ❤️ Here’s to lots of adoption days and happy new beginnings! #IncrediblePets #IncredPets #SammiesFriends #KittyCove #NevadaCounty
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9/30 - What a dream! Callie Girl is as bright and beautiful as her name. Callie just returned from a “doggie day out” - she had a great time. She rode quietly in the car, walks well on a leash, and was calm and attentive. She’s a friend to all and has a sweet, happy demeanor. She’s loves pets and sniffing about and would make a wonderful home companion. Callie Girl is a young adult, she came from a multi dog household which leads us to believe she’d do well with another dog in the home. She’s a stout 54 pounds, and is a mixed breed doggy. - she looks like a Rottweiler, but is the size of an Am. Staff Terrier. ADORABLE 530-471-5041 erica@sammiesfriends.org sammiesfriends.org/adopt
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9/29 - AUCTION ALERT‼️ Doesn’t this look delicious?!?! This is a sample of one of the many gift baskets that will be available during our silent auction at our Nifty Nights FUNdraiser. “A Taste Around Town” basket will be filled with gift cards for sweet treats and yummy dining- including BrewHaus, Crazy Horse, FudenJuce, La Gastronomia, Lazy Dog, Holbrooke Hotel, Three Forks Bakery, and even some Robinson’s gas to get you where you’re going. We are blessed to have the support of so many wonderful businesses in our community. COME JOIN THE FUN - givebutter.com/nifty-nights #nevadacounty #minersfoundry #animalshelter
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9/28 - Boo 🐾👻 Just in time for the holiday season! 🐾 Personality: Sweet, spunky, affectionate & deeply devoted once he trusts you 🛏️ Sleeping style: Professional blanket burrito; would very much like a spot in your bed or lap 🐕 Other dogs: Canine social skills considerably better than his leash skills 😉 🦮 On leash: Enthusiastic Chihuahua—his technique could use some polishing, but fortunately the chaos comes in a manageable size 🏠 House manners: Potty & crate trained 🍽️ Food: Big fan. No notes. ❤️ Ideal situation: A patient person who will give him a little time to settle in and then happily accept their new role as Boo's favorite piece of furniture. He is an 8 year old Chihuahua mix. Neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, current on flea/tick/heartworm prevention. ☎ 530-471-5041 📩erica@sammiesfriends.org 🌐sammiesfriends.org/adopt #MeetMeMonday #boo #adoptme #nevadacounty #animalshelter
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9/27 - Another week gone by and so many adoptions to celebrate!! After 300 days in the shelter our 3 Little Pigs (Pork, Rolls and Muffin Top) have finally found their forever farm!! Dolly Barkton and Roosevelt found their families this week and the Kitty Kove had another wonderful week with Doom, Gloom, Sugar, Carnelian, Otter, Itty Bitty, Tiger’s Eye, Lapis Lazuli, Transmission, Molotov, Cocktail, Eliana and Crust all finding families to love. congratulations to all the new families, we wish you many years of love and companionship together. #animalshelter #nevadacounty #CelebrationSunday #Nonprofit
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9/26 - “May I have this dance?” Flora and Erica practicing their team dance!! This is a great activity for dogs that need focus, connection and/or a job!! #nevadacounty #animalshelter #dogdancetraining #dogdancemoves #adoptme
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9/25 - Dolly Barkton is doing her best work to get ready for a new family!! Shut down and extremely malnourished upon arrival, Dolly has blossom into a beautiful, loving pup. With the help of her doggy pals, Dolly is gaining confidence every day and learning to trust her surroundings. For more information about this beautiful girl email erica@sammiesfriends.org, call 530-471-5041 or visit sammiesfriends.org/adopt #nevadacounty #dollyparton #925 #adoptdontshop #germanshepherd
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