Through June 7, Treasure Island Animal Care & Control is waiving adoption fees as part of the Smooch A Pooch event — meaning you can walk off the island with a dog for $0. The event has been featured on KTVU Fox 2, which has been running profiles of individual animals, including an 8-year-old Yorkie currently available. Hours vary, so call ahead or check the shelter's page before making the drive out.

The fee waiver is the hook here. Treasure Island is a genuinely low-traffic shelter compared to the ACC's main facility on 15th Street, which means a calmer environment to actually meet a dog without the noise and chaos of a bigger operation. The island's location — mid-Bay, accessible via the Bay Bridge — means most people skip it, which is exactly why the animals there tend to get overlooked.

Getting there: drive is easiest; take the Treasure Island exit off I-80 eastbound. No direct BART. Parking is free on the island. If you're coming from the East Bay, it's a shorter drive than you'd think — the shelter is practically the first thing you hit after the exit ramp.

If you've got two hours: show up, ask to see the dogs that have been there longest, and take one for a walk around the perimeter road before you decide anything.