Melissa Hayden holds a dog rescued in Citrus Heights. Photo courtesy of Melissa Hayden

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - “To me, nothing’s been done yet,” said Melissa Hayden when asked about her accomplishments as a rescuer of local animals. Despite forming an active rescue group, being recognized by City Council, and being in the process of getting a new animal shelter off the ground, Hayden is humble.

She doesn’t believe in recognition until her ultimate dream, a shelter within Citrus Heights opens its doors. “I really don't want recognition until we’re cutting the ribbon,” she said.

Despite her selfless outlook, Hayden does indeed deserve recognition. Having been raised on a farm, she has always loved animals and held a passion to help them.

“When you’re having a bad day,” she recently reflected, “the animals don’t care. When they see you, they are happy to see you.”

After Hayden made the move from the mountains to the more suburban Citrus Heights, she was surprised to see cats everywhere. From a mother cat with her kitten litter in a roof gutter, to cats discovered dead in the street, Hayden was stunned. While her hometown contained exclusively indoor cats due to risk of mountain lions and other predators, here in the city she grappled with the concept of cats being let out, and more so with the dangerous risks they faced like fast moving traffic.

“I was really confused as to how this was happening and going on,” she said. “I started asking around.”

Her research took her to local pet stores and Sacramento Animal Control, where she learned a lot about both outdoor and feral cat life, and how inaccessible certain things like microchipping and shelter spots could be. After taking in a feral cat she developed a close bond with, she found it difficult – and expensive – to get him chipped. The price tag was $360 plus a wellness visit at the vet, which only increased costs further. It was clear to Hayden that if she felt the price was steep, low-income and homeless pet owners stood no chance.

She also discovered that some services like microchipping were not fully done locally.

“I'd like to see some things we have outsourced (come locally to Citrus Heights) – our animals, our people, our community – we need to do more. Whether we get a shelter here or a TNR program.”

TNR stands for “trap, neuter, release,” and it has been a large part of Hayden’s passion project – a local neighborhood cat and dog rescue. She started by rescuing loose dogs, and then included working with trapping feral cats as well as reuniting those with owners.

The only starting resource she had was Lost & Found pet groups on Facebook.

“We said this is really hard because on Facebook you aren’t getting to that dog fast enough. How can we make this more sufficient for the animals?” Hayden stated.

After working with a couple of neighbors, they started a mass text for their own neighborhood, so whoever was available at that time could jump into action. There are currently 10 people on the action team, and if anyone sees a lost or loose animal, they text the group. Hayden noted that the group’s demand ebbs and flows with the seasons – holidays like the 4th of July are busiest, with their small squad sometimes rescuing upwards of three pets in a day.

Hayden would like to see their group modeled in different areas of Citrus Heights and beyond.

“I really hope that each and every neighborhood would start a group. Similar to a Neighborhood Watch, but for animals.” 

Hayden’s involvement with a TNR program led to over 100 spayed and neutered cats, and her neighborhood TNR has completed five and counting. She recently went before the City Council to propose a fully functioning animal shelter after learning of Animal Control’s limited hours and resources.

“We are such an independent town. We have our own police force – we are really independent from Sacramento for the most part…It doesn't make sense to me that if we are so independent in our city why we don’t have an animal shelter,” Hayden said. 

Plans are underway to change that, thanks to Hayden’s vision and drive. Now Hayden and her team begin working through permitting and all the red tape that comes with building something so complex.

“I want somewhere for animals to go to that is safe and away from cars and traffic – a safe spot to rest while waiting for their owners,” said Hayden when asked about her future dream. “My hope for the future is to help our community have better access to help rescuers. To help the low-income, homeless, and disabled to have better access to facilities for spay and neuter and chips.”

Hayden welcomes anyone who is interested in helping Citrus Heights’ animal population to get involved. And, as a team player, she also requested her fellow rescuers be mentioned in this story. Michelle, Kelly, Stacey, Taryn, Mariah, and Tiffany – Citrus Heights sees you and thanks you.