C A R E 4 Paws Inc

C.A.R.E.4PAWS' MISSION IS TO REDUCE PET OVERPOPULATION, KEEP ANIMALS OUT OF SHELTERS AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PET FAMILIES IN NEED.

SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2009, C.A.R.E.4PAWS HAS PROVIDED A RANGE OF CRITICAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMS TO LOW-INCOME, SENIOR, DISABLED AND HOMELESS PET OWNERS IN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE DRASTIC DECLINE IN ANIMAL SHELTER INTAKE NUMBERS AND INSPIRING A GREATER SENSE OF COMPASSION AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE COMMUNITYS COMPANION PETS. THE ORGANIZATION SERVES SANTA BARBARA COUNTYS MOST AT-RISK COMMUNITIES, WHERE THOUSANDS OF PET OWNERS LIVE IN POVERTY AND STRUGGLE TO ACCESS EVEN THE MOST BASIC PET CARE, EVEN MORE SO DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. MAIN FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE SANTA MARIA VALLEY, LOMPOC, NEW CUYAMA, ISLA VISTA AND SANTA BARBARA'S EAST AND WESTSIDE. DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, C.A.R.E.4PAWS HAS STAYED TRUE TO ITS MISSION TO PREVENT PET HOMELESSNESS AND SUFFERING, PROVIDING AN UNPRECEDENTED LEVEL OF SUPPORT TO THE COMMUNITY. THE ORGANIZATION HAS TRIPLED THE NUMBER OF PET OWNERS HELPED ANNUALLY FROM ABOUT 7,000 IN 2019 TO MORE THAN 20,000 IN 2020 AND 2021. THROUGH ITS MOBILE COMMUNITY MEDICINE & SPAY/NEUTER OUTREACH PROGRAM, C.A.R.E.4PAWS PROVIDED 2,025 FREE SPAY/NEUTER SURGERIES AND ASSISTED 1,749 PETS WITH FREE AND LOW-COST VETERINARY CARE. AS PART OF ITS MOBILE CLINIC OUTREACH, C.A.R.E.4PAWS HOSTED A RECORD-NUMBER OF LOW-COST VACCINE EVENTS (225 TOTAL IN 2021, COMPARED TO 140 IN 2019), PROVIDING MORE THAN 15,000 VACCINES, MICROCHIPS, FLEA TREATMENT AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES. THE OVERALL NUMBER OF SERVICES PROVIDED IN THE ORGANIZATIONS MOBILE VETERINARY CLINIC HAVE INCREASED FROM 10,000 IN 2019 TO 15,000 IN 2020 TO 18,000 IN 2021 BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, C.A.R.E.4PAWS COMPANION PET ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALSO CONTINUED TO GROW SIGNIFICANTLY, HELPING THOUSANDS OF PET OWNERS IN NEED WITH PROVISION OF PET FOOD AND SUPPLIES, GROOMING, FOSTER CARE AND ANIMAL TRAINING. THE COMPANION PET ASSISTANCE TEAM CONTINUED TO DISTRIBUTE FOUR TONS OF PET FOOD WEEKLY COUNTYWIDE FOR MOST OF THE YEAR. THIS IS COMPARED TO FOUR TONS OF FOOD DISTRIBUTED IN TOTAL IN THE FULL YEAR OF 2019. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED PET FOOD AT ALL OF ITS MOBILE CLINIC EVENTS AND PARTICIPATED IN SEVERAL WEEKLY DISTRIBUTION EVENTS WITH AGENCIES SUCH AS THE FOODBANK OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AND PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE. ITS MOBILE PET MEALS TEAM DELIVERED PET FOOD DIRECTLY TO HUNDREDS OF HOMEBOUND SENIORS AS WELL AS TO SENIOR CENTERS AND LOW-INCOME HOUSING FACILITIES. C.A.R.E.4PAWS ALSO CONTINUED ITS SAFE HAVEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS (DVS) AND OTHER HUMANE WELFARE AGENCIES. PET OWNERS EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CAN SEEK EMERGENCY SHELTER WITH THEIR COMPANION ANIMALS THROUGH DVS, AND C.A.R.E.4PAWS ARRANGES FOR IMMEDIATE, ANONYMOUS FOSTER CARE OR BOARDING FOR THE PETS. COLLABORATIONS FOR SAFE HAVEN ALSO INCLUDE SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE VICTIM-WITNESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AS WELL AS SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ANIMAL SERVICES, ANIMAL SHELTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ASAP) AND SANTA YNEZ VALLEY HUMANE SOCIETY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DOG ADOPTION WELFARE GROUP (DAWG). ADDITIONALLY, SURVIVORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN CONTACT C.A.R.E.4PAWS DIRECTLY FOR SUPPORT. PAWS UP FOR PETS, THE ORGANIZATIONS HUMANE EDUCATION INITIATIVE, KEEPS EXPANDING ANNUALLY AS WELL. THIS PROGRAM ENGAGES LOCAL YOUTH TO HELP PROMOTE COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS AND EMPATHY IN THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. PAWS UP FOR PETS WORKS MAINLY WITH AFTERSCHOOL-CARE PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THE UNITED BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS, THE YMCA AND GIRLS, INC., AND CHILDREN EARN BADGES AND BECOME ANIMAL AMBASSADORS AS THEY PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM AT FOUR DIFFERENT LEVELS. AS PART OF ITS EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH, C.A.R.E.4PAWS PROVIDES EMERGENCY TRAINING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL EMERGENCY VETERINARY CLINIC PROFESSIONALS AND DOG TRAINERS. DUE TO COVID-19, THE PROGRAM WAS PUT ON HOLD TEMPORARILY AND THE GOAL IS TO START UP AGAIN IN 2022. IN DECEMBER, C.A.R.E.4PAWS HOSTED A DONATION DRIVE-THRU AND HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS ADOPTION FESTIVAL TO RAISE FUNDS AND PET FOOD WHILE ALSO ALLOWING PARTNER SHELTERS AND RESCUE GROUPS TO COME ADOPT OUT PETS. IN 2021, C.A.R.E.4PAWS CONTINUED TO WIDEN ITS REACH COUNTYWIDE AND EMBRACE COLLABORATIONS, WORKING CLOSELY NOT ONLY WITH LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS, RESCUE GROUPS, CITY/COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL AND PET-SERVICE PROVIDERS, BUT WITH SOCIAL WELFARE ORGANIZATIONS, HOMELESS SHELTERS, TRANSITION HOMES, HOSPICE CARE PROVIDERS, AND SIMILAR AGENCIES. IT CREATED AT LEAST A DOZEN MORE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES. IN FACT, IN 2021, C.A.R.E.4PAWS BEGAN PREPARING FOR THE EXPANSION OF ITS MOBILE CLINIC SERVICES TO SAN LUIS OBISPO (SLO) COUNTY IN FEBRUARY 2022, AS THE NEED FOR FREE AND LOW-COST SPAYS/NEUTERS, VACCINE CLINICS AND OTHER PET WELLNESS SERVICES IS TREMENDOUS IN MANY SLO COMMUNITIES.