Join The Pack.
Hear the story of every Shiba we are rehoming. When one moves you, chip in toward that dog's care. No commitment, no recurring charges, no guilt.
Three steps. That is all.
Sign up free.
Your email gets you in. No payment, no membership tier, no app. You are in The Pack the moment you submit.
Hear each dog's story.
When a new Shiba comes into our care, we send you the story: who they are, what happened, what they need to land somewhere safe.
Chip in when it moves you.
If a dog's story hits, you can contribute toward their care via Zelle, bank transfer, or mailed check. If not, the story is still yours. No pressure either way.
What a Pack email actually looks like.
Kuma needs a quiet landing.
Kuma came to us from a family that loved him and ran out of road. Two new babies in three years, a cross-country move, and a Shiba who started resource-guarding the nursery doorway. They tried trainers. They tried a behaviorist. They tried baby gates. Eventually they made the call most people are too proud to make. They asked for help.
He is now in foster with one of our most experienced handlers in Oakland. Cleared by our vet, neutered, current on everything. He is settling. He sleeps through the night. He does not love new dogs, so his next home will be single-dog. He is excellent with adults, cautious with kids, and patient with the cat he is currently sharing a hallway with.
Our care budget for Kuma over the next six weeks is around $1,400: foster reimbursement, a behavioral followup, a dental, and the trainer hours we are putting in before placement. If his story moves you, here is how to help.
To contribute toward Kuma's care: reply to this email or text (707) 718-3579. Tell us the amount and your preferred method (Zelle, bank transfer, or check). We will reply with the account details, sent from norcalshiba@gmail.com. Any amount beyond what Kuma needs goes to the next pup in line. We will name you in Kuma's placement update.
This is an example for illustration. Real Pack emails use real dogs, real budgets, and real photos.
After a placement.
Two emails close the loop.
When a Pack-supported dog finds their home, you hear from us twice more:
- The placement update. What family the dog landed with, how the first week went, and a photo. Every contributor to that dog is named in the email (first name, last initial only). No amounts, ever.
- The next pup ask. A few weeks later, when the next dog enters care. Same format as Kuma's story above. You decide if and when you give again.
Once a year, every Pack member who contributed during the year is named in a Pack Report. No dollar amounts shown. The recognition is for showing up, not for size.
Honest breakdown.
Average rehoming placement: about $1,500
Here is how that breaks down across the four to six weeks a Shiba spends in our care before placement. We are a small operation with no paid staff and no office overhead.
What you give is named, tied to a specific dog, and accounted for in the placement update. If a dog's care comes in under budget, the surplus rolls forward to the next pup in line. Pack contributions never become anyone's salary.
Sign up in the first 30 days.
The first wave of Pack members shapes how this thing runs. Anyone who joins in the launch month gets the inaugural Pack Report at year-end plus a personal welcome from Eric. No fee, no tier, no commitment. Just a record that you were here at the start.
Three things to know up front.
Donations are not tax-deductible right now. NorCal Shiba is privately operated, not a 501(c)(3). We are working on a fiscal sponsor arrangement that would make future donations deductible. We will email Pack members when that changes.
Where your money goes. Veterinary care, foster reimbursement, transport, training hours, supplies. We will name the specific dog and the rough budget every time. Any amount beyond what that dog needs goes to the next pup in line, not into anyone's pocket.
Anti-scam reality check. We only request contributions via the methods listed on our payments page. We never DM you a payment link, never text you a Zelle request, never ask via social media. If anyone claiming to be NorCal Shiba contacts you for money outside the methods on our payments page, it is a scam.
Common questions.
Is there a cost to join?
How often will I hear from you?
Am I expected to give every time?
Where does my donation actually go?
How do I donate when I am ready?
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Can I unsubscribe?
Join free. Help when you can.
The next Shiba is already being assessed. When their story is ready, we will send it. You decide what happens next.