C.A.R.E.4Paws expands our services and partnerships to meet critical community needs.
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Fellow animal lovers,
Every year for the past decade, C.A.R.E.4Paws has kept evolving to meet the needs of animals and pet owners in our community. And we will never stop! We're starting 2020 and our second decade in a most pawsitive way, from the launch of
a program to assist victims of domestic violence and the opening of more Pet Resource Centers countywide, to a TNR mobile spay/neuter day for community cats and 12 pet emergency training workshops for first responders with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. Plus, as you'll see below, that's not all!
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A Safe Haven for Animals, too!
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There's NO excuse for abuse. Yet, domestic violence is rampant in our community and affects everyone in a family, including animals. Many victims stay with their abusers because of a pet, or they are forced to leave their beloved companions behind. C.A.R.E.4Paws' new
Safe Haven
program ensures abuse victims can leave WITH their pets. Victims can seek help at a
Domestic Violence Solutions
(DVS) shelter, and C.A.R.E.4Paws will arrange for temporary, anonymous foster homes or boarding until the pet and owner can be reunited.
“I am confident that the partnership between Domestic Violence Solutions and C.A.R.E.4Paws will become an essential part of the services we offer to shelter clients who have pets,” says Jan Campbell, Executive Director of DVS. “Knowing that their beloved pets are safely and confidentially housed helps to mitigate trauma suffered by domestic violence survivors and their families.”
Other partners include
Advanced Veterinary Specialists
, Brian Glen, Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Dog Adoption Welfare Group (DAWG) and Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society.
We need our community's help to ensure we can meet the demand. Click below to make a contribution and
email us
if you're interested in fostering animals for Safe Haven.
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Introducing
the Animal Welfare Alliance of Santa Barbara County
We're excited to the announce the cofounding of the
Animal Welfare Alliance of Santa Barbara County
together with Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Dog Adoption Welfare Group (DAWG) and Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society. Our goal is to improve animal welfare by building strong partnerships between local organizations so we can maximize resources and jointly build programs. Safe Haven is one such collaboration among Alliance members, and there's more to come!
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Caring for community cats
On Sunday, February 16, our mobile clinic team altered 25 community cats in Los Olivos, preventing the future birth of countless unwanted kittens. Our partner Marci Kladnik trapped and brought most of the kitties and released them after a few days of recovery. We also received wonderful support from Los Olivos locals and other contributors to make this purrrfect day happen. It takes a village, and our collaborations reduce suffering and save lives.
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Our clinic team goes the extra mile
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We have started the year with fully booked mobile clinic days, and the need for spays/neuters, vaccines and medical assistance is only growing. We've hosted and participated in several special events, too, such as a Valentine's Pet Wellness Clinic & Adoption Day at Santa Maria's Elwin Mussel Senior Center with County Animal Services. We provided $5 "Furever Valentines" microchips to more than a 100 dogs and cats from February 9 through 16 to help more animals find their way home if lost. Our compassionate clinic team keeps building relationships in the community and always goes the extra mile!
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Countywide Pet Resource Centers provide food and critical services
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No pet—or pet owner—should have to go hungry or without critical care. That's why C.A.R.E.4Paws has introduced more
Pet Resource Centers
countywide in partnership with several agencies, including PATH Santa Barbara, People Helping People, Good Samaritan Shelter, and Northern Santa Barbara County United Way’s Home For Good program. We also co-host a center at
Santa Barbara County Animal Service
s' Santa Maria shelter, which officially opened on January 29.
At our centers, pet owners can pick up food and other supplies and sign up for mobile clinic services. At all human welfare agencies, owners can also access services for themselves.
“Often people put their animal’s needs over their own," says Emily Allen, Director of United Way’s Home For Good. "By engaging individuals around their concern for their pet, the homelessness emergency response system can leverage the human-animal bond to provide life-saving services to people and their pets."
C.A.R.E.4Paws also distributes pet food at all clinics and delivers food, too, as part of our Mobile Pet Meals services.
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We are proud to have a dozen local business partners who help us with
Pet Foo
d
Drives
and bring in a TON of food and other supplies. Our latest drive was with CJ Affiliate (featured in the photo by WinkFace Photography) during Thanksgiving. We also receive generous donations from PetSmart, La Cumbre Feed and Healthy Pet, as well as through the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, ASAP, Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society and Santa Barbara Humane Society. We are furever grateful for the support!
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We’d love donations of dog and cat food, fleece blankets and pet jackets. Supplies can be ordered and delivered directly to us.
Learn more
...
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Paws Up For Pets, everybody!
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On February 26, we launch new
Paws Up For Pets
workshops with the United Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCA in Buellton and Goleta. Our youth program promotes compassion and accountability for animals and empathy for all living beings. It empowers youth to speak up against abuse and will tie into our new Safe Haven program for victims of domestic violence.
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A dozen pet emergency training workshops for Santa Barbara County Fire Department
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C.A.R.E.4Paws is in the middle of providing 12
pet emergency training workshop
s
with the
Santa Barbara County Fire Department
alongside our awesome partners,
Advanced Veterinary Specialists
and dog trainer Brian Glen.
Our countywide program shows first responders how to safely handle and care for pets in an emergency situation, covering most aspects of emergency pet care along with dog behavior tools to ensure first responders stay safe. Participants also learn about C.A.R.E.4Paws’ many services so that they can share this information with pet owners in need.
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Baths for pets of the homeless
Thanks to the support of one of our wonderful donors and volunteers, C.A.R.E.4Paws will now offer free grooming for pets of homeless community members. We'll be hosting regular grooming events with A's Mobile Grooming and also provide vouchers to A's stationary business as well as Petco and Lemos. Every dog groomed will receive a warm, waterproof and reflective jacket and we'll have fleece blankets and other supplies available for all pets (and their owners, too, as much as we can!). Right now, we have dedicated volunteers working directly in the community handing out pet jackets and blankets.
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Don't miss our Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser
On Sunday, April 26, we host our Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser at beautiful Elings Park in Santa Barbara, 3pm to 6pm. We invite you to come celebrate with us and toast to the work C.A.R.E.4Paws does to help people and pets in this community and beyond—so much of it thanks to YOUR support!
Click for sponsorship opportunities and tickets
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Save the Date for Wags n' Whiskers 2020
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Our 12th annual Wags n' Whiskers Festival takes place on October 10, 11am to 4pm, at Santa Barbara City College's stunning West Campus, featuring dozens of wonderful exhibitors, including 25-plus animal shelters and rescue groups with adoptable dogs, cats, bunnies and birds. Enjoy fun activities all day long, including our celebrated Best in Show fashion contest and more.
Click for more details and to sign up to be a sponsor or an exhibitor
.
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