Gabe Feitosa donates his time to the San Diego Humane Society to transform dogs into walking works of art.
Gabriel Feitosa is shown with Nyla outside the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. The San Diego Humane Society has an overpopulation problem. For months, they’ve been over capacity, especially when it comes to dogs.
On a day in early August at the San Diego Humane Society’s El Cajon campus, dog groomer Gabe Feitosa was making his monthly visit.Dog groomer Gabriel Feitosa is shown trimming Minnow, just after transforming him into a tiger at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. When we met him in a dog grooming room, he was transforming a little three-legged dog named Minnow into a tiger Feitosa’s passion for this work began years ago when he was a boy, growing up in challenging circumstances in the favelas of São Paulo, Brazil. “Even before I started doing dog grooming, I thought I was going to be an artist. I love to draw, I love to paint," he said.Dog groomer Gabriel Feitosa speaking with KPBS reporter John Carroll at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. Feitosa also had a passion for dogs. He started helping a dog groomer in his hometown, and eventually, the grooming and the artistic spark came together. He first went from Brazil to Sacramento. Then he made his way to San Diego in 2014 and now has his own dog grooming business in University Heights. There, he charges anywhere between $500 and $1,700 to transform dogs into walking works of art. He appeared on an ABC show called"Pooch Perfect" in the summer of 2021 and quickly gained national attention. Then last December, he had an idea. “I was trying to find a way to give back. So I reached out to the Humane Society and said, 'Hey guys, what if we transform your guys’s dogs and bring attention not only for the dogs who are getting to get adopted right away, but to the cause?'" Feitosa said.Dog groomer Gabriel Feitosa is shown with his assistant Jessica Heffron while coloring Nyla's tail at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. The process starts with a team from the Humane Society team selecting a dog or dogs that would typically get overlooked, like our friend Minnow and a big beautiful girl named Nyla. Her family had to give her up. Feitosa employs a dazzling array of colors. All the dye is vegan and non-toxic. It doesn’t harm the dogs in any way. But it’s a challenge. How many artists do you know have to contend with a canvas that moves?Jacob Aere Nyla is shown getting a bath from Feitosa assistant Jessica Heffron at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. After the dog gets their color, they get a bath. Then they are blow-dried, and finally, they get a trim. After that, the canine spa treatment is finished; the transformation - complete. After the Feitosa treatment, the artist always takes pictures and videos of his subjects. You see, Feitosa has huge numbers of people following him on social media - more than two million on TikTok and another half million on Instagram!Minnow is shown getting towel dried by Jessica Heffron at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. In addition to donating his time, Feitosa also pays for adoption and any other fees for dogs that have gotten his special treatment. He wants to remove any barriers that would keep someone from adopting one of these furry friends. He said it’s all worth it when he finds out the dogs have been adopted. “It fills me with joy, especially because we focus on transforming the dogs that actually need more attention. With the big dogs, they have a hard time getting adopted. Dogs that are dropped off here like when they’re nine or 10 years old, they have a much harder time than a puppy or a small dog, so we really focus on doing those guys. So, when I hear that those guys get adopted, I’m just like over the moon. I’m just grateful that I get to do it," he said with a smile.Jessica Heffron is shown blow drying Nyla after her bath at the San Diego Humane Society El Cajon campus on August 7, 2023. So far, Feitosa’s batting average is — almost — a thousand. Nyla's transformation happened in early August, and unfortunately, she has yet to be adopted. But all the others are now in loving homes. Still, there are so many more waiting for that special person or family. In fact, with more than 1,100 dogs across their campuses, the San Diego Humane Society is now at 170% of capacity. So, if you’ve been thinking about bringing some canine love into your life, now’s the time to do it — rainbow colors or not.The exterior of the San Diego Humane Society's El Cajon campus is shown on August 7, 2023.
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
How Disneyland turned San Francisco into San Fransokyo SquareThe San Fransokyo seen in ‘Big Hero 6’ and Disney California Adventure is an alternate universe where the city of San Francisco ended up with an extensive Tokyo overlay.
Read more »
Dog groomer's artistic touch helps get dogs adoptedGabe Feitosa donates his time to the San Diego Humane Society to transform dogs into walking works of art.
Read more »
San Francisco Giants vs San Diego Padres - September 02, 2023View the San Francisco Giants vs San Diego Padres game played on September 02, 2023. Box score, stats, odds, highlights, play-by-play, social & more
Read more »