{"id":91020,"date":"2025-06-16T09:43:35","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T16:43:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sfspca.org\/?p=91020"},"modified":"2025-10-06T09:45:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T16:45:53","slug":"sido-45-year-anniversary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sfspca.org\/blog\/sido-45-year-anniversary\/","title":{"rendered":"Sido’s Legacy, 45 Years Later"},"content":{"rendered":"

Forty-five years ago, a dog named Sido became the face of an animal advocacy movement.<\/span><\/p>\n

When her guardian passed away in 1979, 11-year-old Sido\u2019s future was uncertain. Concerned that no one else would care for her beloved dog, Sido\u2019s owner included a clause in her will requesting that Sido be euthanized. However, the San Francisco SPCA stepped in, and what followed changed California law forever.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the San Francisco SPCA learned of the situation, former president Richard Avanzino took a stand. The organization filed a legal challenge to stop her euthanasia and save Sido\u2019s life. The case captured national attention and raised a vital ethical question: Should a pet\u2019s life be ended simply because their guardian is gone?<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This June marks the anniversary of landmark legislation that saved Sido\u2019s life by invalidating the will that ordered her euthanasia. This achievement underscored the value and protection companion animals deserve in our state.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The SF SPCA, led by Avanzino, fought a legal battle that made national headlines. On June 17, 1980, a San Francisco judge ruled in Sido\u2019s favor, sparing her life.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sido Program at the SF SPCA<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The SF SPCA created the <\/span>Sido Pet Protection Program<\/span><\/a> to ensure that no pet would ever face Sido\u2019s fate again. This program provides peace of mind to pet guardians by guaranteeing that if their cat or dog outlives them, their beloved companion will receive loving care, thoughtful placement in a new home, and free medical and dental coverage for life after adoption by a new family.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to this program, hundreds of cats and dogs have been given a second chance\u2014and hundreds more will have the same opportunity in the years to come.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sido\u2019s story lives on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sido\u2019s legacy is more than a story from the past. It\u2019s a reminder of what\u2019s possible when we combine compassion with action, and it continues to shape our work every day. The SF SPCA continues to fight for animals through advocacy, legislation, and compassion-driven programs like this one. Because every life\u2014like Sido\u2019s\u2014is worth protecting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your pet deserves a future as secure as your love. <\/span><\/i><\/b>Learn more about the <\/span><\/i>Sido Pet Protection Program<\/span><\/i><\/a> and enroll today.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forty-five years ago, a dog named Sido became the face of an animal advocacy movement. When her guardian passed away in 1979, 11-year-old Sido\u2019s future was uncertain. Concerned that no […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":91025,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSido's Legacy, 45 Years Later - 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