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Our Dedicated Team
Scroll down to learn a little more about our
all-volunteer board of directors and specialized volunteers:
Yvonne, Rhonda, Jeri, Sarah, Jon & Ian
Bow-Wows & Meows is a non-profit organization run by an all-volunteer board of directors. Our mission is to celebrate pets, encourage animal awareness and promote pet adoption within our community and beyond.
Bow-Wows & Meows was founded by Yvonne (Allbee) Hanson, a long-time Santa Clarita resident. She was sitting in her living room back in 2000 with her adopted pets (at that time), Bear (dog) and Sam (cat), just appreciating how much they contributed to her life. Yvonne wanted to spread the message of what wonderful benefits pets add to a person(s) or families life. The idea of creating a fun, educational, community event that helped match pet-less people with homeless pets was born.
The first event took place in 2001 and has grown to an incredibly popular pet fair that attracts more than 15,000 attendees to its annual event. Since its inception, Bow-Wows & Meows has become one of L.A.'s largest and most popular pet fairs of it's kind while having adopted out more than 2,650 pets from Los Angeles County Shelters, as well as local rescues.
To view adoptable pets at an L.A. County Shelter near you that are available now, visit http://animalcare.lacounty.gov
Founder, Yvonne gives cuddles & kisses to a homeless shelter dog looking to find his furrever home at the Bow-Wows & Meows Pet Fair
Yvonne (Allbee) Hanson, Board Member, Founder / President
Yvonne (Allbee) Hanson started Bow-Wows & Meows in 2000, with a mission of matching adoptable shelter animals with potential families. Knowing the joy that her own rescued pets (at that time) Bear & Sam brought, Yvonne felt the community would support a pet fair if they knew how many great animals needed homes…and she was right. Over 2,650 L.A. County shelter animals have been adopted as a result of Bow-Wows & Meows over the last 19 pet fairs! When Yvonne lost her sweet dog Jack shortly before the 2018 pet fair, Bob-Lee, a then 4 year old PitBull was adopted from the Castaic Shelter completing the Hanson family of 4 fur kids including 9 year old Pit/Shar Pei mix Henry and two cats; Monkey & Pixie.... all rescues (and yes, they all get along but sshhhh, the cats really run the house!) Yvonne is a registered nurse leader who works in hospice. She has volunteered at many local organizations, but Bow-Wows & Meows holds a special very place in her heart.
Rhonda Webster, Board Member / Secretary
In Loving Memory of Rhonda Webster 7/20/1971 - 6/7/2022
Rhonda Webster is a registered nurse and animal lover. As a board member, she has watched Bow-Wows & Meows grow from an idea into a wonderful reality. Rhonda grew up around dogs and cats and always enjoyed having at least two pets at a time so they could play together. Rhonda's busy household includes a husband, two sons, Neko, a Boxer, and new addition Ash, adopted the day of the 2019 pet fair from the Castaic Animal Shelter after recently losing their sweet boy Tank, a black Labrador that was abandoned in front of their home. Did we forget the two cats? Nope - 2 cats too. Bow-Wows & Meows Pet Fair warms her heart, knowing that the adopted animals have warm homes to sleep in with their new families that love them!
Jeri Bowen, Board Member
Jeri Bowen has loved dogs all of her life and cannot imagine life without one. She has had all types of dogs beginning at a young age and has always been interested in their training She started competition obedience training in the 80’s and then became involved in the training, competing and judging of hunting retrievers. Jeri recently said goodbye to Buddy, who she rescued when he was a senior. She is now currently fostering another senior rescue dog who is certain to become a new permanent member of her household. She began as a volunteer for the Bow-Wows & Meows Pet Fair and was so impressed with the dedication and work to promote pet adoptions that she wanted to do all she could to help this wonderful organization.
Sarah Vatcher, Board Member / Social Media
Sarah Vatcher was born and raised in Santa Clarita, and started volunteering at the Bow-Wows & Meows Pet Fair after hearing about it from her co-worker. It only took one fair to hook her, and she's been a loyal volunteer who's always willing to do any task given her ever since. Sarah's passion for all animal life, responsible pet ownership and follow through makes her a perfect fit as a Bow-Wows & Meows Board Member. She also added a pibble to her home recently after finding him running the streets in Canyon Country. His owners didn’t want him any longer and let him and his sister just run loose near Sierra Hwy. We think this guy unknowingly won the doggy lotto! Sarah now lives with her pibble pup Ripley, Chihuahua mix Sadie Bird, a few reptiles and her boyfriend. If you learned of Bow-Wows & Meows via social media... you can probably thanks Sarah as she is likely the one that got you here.
Jon Albert, Board Member
By day, Jon serves as president of Jon Albert Insurance Agency in Canyon Country. His love for dogs and passion for finding them loving homes began as a child growing up in New England where dogs were considered a part of the family. Last year as county shelters were overflowing, Jon founded jonslist.org, a non-profit which, among other things, raises money for the Castaic Animal Shelter via a Halloween Dog Contest. His passion for saving dogs lead him to adopt Bailey, (shepherd collie mix), who was with him until she was 19 years old, and more recently Sweet Pea, (Chihuahua/ Italian Greyhound mix) and Patti Cake (Long Haired Chihuahua) joined the family. His 10-year-old twin daughters were born loving all animals, but dogs especially. They are actively involved with the Kids Loving Animals Within Shelters (KLAWS) reading program, as well as the Newhall Community Center’s dog reading program. Two years ago Jon learned about Bow-Wows & Meows and was so impressed that he immediately reached out to Yvonne to become involved. Since it was clearly an incredible organization, he was eager to help in any capacity. His family loves the outdoors, whether it is swimming or hiking the Santa Clarita trails with the dogs, and he hopes to see you out on the trails sometime soon.
Julian Moser, Advisory Support
Julian is our resident Cat Daddy. He also loves dogs and every other kind of animal you can think of! He is one of the senior cat volunteers at Castaic Animal Care Center and writes a majority of their social media cat posts. He and his wife foster countless kittens and cats every year for the shelter. They have also been known to take in an occasional stray teenager. He is devoted to helping homeless animals and to finding them homes. He loves being a husband and father to 5 children, four cats (who rule the house) two dogs, and an aquarium full of cichlids. He was drawn to Team BW&M because of our dedication to finding L.A. county shelter animals a home.
You can follow him and the Castaic shelter on Instagram! https://instagram.com/castaicanimalslaco?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=1gf03ob7a510i
Ian Hanson, Advisory Chair
Our Advisory Chair Ian is indispensable to Bow-Wows & Meows. By day, Ian owns and is the driving force behind Ingolstadt West German Auto Specialists in Canoga Park. Ian cares so strongly about all animals that finding homes for homeless pets was right up his alley. Not only does he devote countless hours to the organization and its mission, but he has also been a major sponsor of the fair for several years. Ian's "can-do" spirit provides great support, not only to Bow-Wows & Meows, but also to his wife, our Founder, Yvonne! Ian has loved animals his entire life. With his kind and loving spirit he once attempted to kiss Titus, his Burmese Python which didn't go so well (Ouch!). He never had a problem when he was giving kisses to Smurgle, his Bearded Dragon but oh well... while his love for all animals continue, he's sticking to the furry ones for cuddles and kisses which currently include his four fur children: dogs; Henry & Bob-Lee and cats; Monkey & Pixie who he adores!
Are you interested in joining our board / advisory / specialized volunteer team? Email us directly at info@BowWowsAndMeows.org. Interested in being a fair day or pre fair volunteer? Please visit our volunteer page or click below: