Councilwoman Houlihan to Be Honored by Rancho Coastal Humane Society

Wednesday morning at 11 the (RCHS) is hosting a public tribute to for her many years of outstanding community service.

"Maggie has touched everyone in Encinitas," RCHS president Jim Silveira said in a written statement. "She's done so much to help make this a better place for animals and their families.”

In 1970 Houlihan moved to Leucadia with her son after falling in love with community’s tree canopy along South Coast Highway 101. Here she quickly earned a reputation as an animal lover, and was known to rescue frogs on the road during rainstorms, turtles, iguanas, cats and dogs.

In 1990 she co-founded the Spay and Neuter Action Project (SNAP), and in 1993 she was named Employee of the Year at UCSD, where she worked at the library. In 1998 she founded Wee Companions Small Animal Rescue for guinea pigs, rats and hamsters, and in 1999 she joined the Encinitas Mayor’s Homeless Taskforce.

Houlihan was elected to Encinitas City Council in 2000, and in 2004 and 2008 her campaigns generated the most votes in the city council race. During her stint on council, Houlihan has served as mayor and been largely credited with increasing transparency in government, which has included televising council meetings, uploading city documents — and implementing an electronic notice system through which citizens can get any and all agendas from council, commission and committee meetings.

In 2005 Houlihan was diagnosed with cancer and pronounced cancer-free after treatment. Four years later it returned. she revealed that she wouldn’t be electing chemotherapy to treat the endometrial cancer that has spread throughout her body. She has instead opted for an integrative approach to healing that involves Qigong, meditation, acupuncture, energy work and diet.

Houlihan is now confined to a wheelchair and though her health prevents her from attending city council meetings in person, she continues to serve by participating via phone.

“None of us know what the future holds, and each day is unique and the only time we will experience that particular day,” . “To me, this means that we need to grab the gusto each and every day as it comes, whether sunny, rainy, filled with challenges or easy.”

The community is strongly encouraged to come celebrate Houlihan’s service to Encinitas on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Rancho Costal Humane Society. 

"It's time for us to shout the praises of our neighbor and friend, Maggie Houlihan,” Silveira said. “This is long overdue."