Our History

Happy Pet Owners (HPO) was founded in the 1970s by retired teacher Sterling Cramer to provide affordable spay & neuter services for cats in the Manteca community. Through low-cost vouchers, the organization helped countless families care for their pets while reducing cat overpopulation.

Karen Duke joined HPO shortly after its founding and has led the organization for many years, continuing its mission after Sterling's passing. In 1999, Melanie Parker joined Karen, and together they expanded HPO's work in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), caring for community cat colonies and launching an adoption program through Modesto PetSmart for friendly strays, abandoned cats, and kittens.

Over the years, HPO has helped thousands of cats through spay/neuter services, TNR, and adoption. In 2025 alone, HPO provided spay/neuter services for 538 cats and kittens and found loving homes for 168 cats.

Today, HPO is supported by 20–25 dedicated volunteers who make this work possible. Together, they continue to improve the lives of community cats—one cat at a time.