Tony Larussas Animal Rescue Foundation

ARF SAVES DOGS AND CATS WHO HAVE RUN OUT OF TIME AT PUBLIC SHELTERS, AND BRINGS PEOPLE AND ANIMALS TOGETHER TO ENRICH EACH OTHERS LIVES. ARF'S PROGRAMS PROMOTE THE CONCEPT THAT PEOPLE'S LIVES CAN BE ENHANCED BY STRENGTHENING THE BONDS BETWEEN HUMANS AND ANIMALS.

ANIMAL CARE & ADOPTIONS:THIS YEAR, ARF MATCHED 1,362 CATS AND DOGS WITH NEW FAMILIES THROUGH OUR ADOPTION PROGRAM. EACH ANIMAL IS BEHAVIORALLY AND MEDICALLY EVALUATED, MEDICALLY TREATED AS NEEDED, SPAYED OR NEUTERED, AND MICROCHIPPED PRIOR TO ADOPTION. DOGS AND CATS RECEIVE QUALITY CARE AND ENRICHMENT WHILE THEY AWAIT NEW HOMES.

VETERINARY CLINIC:ARF'S CLINIC PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE AND SURGERIES FOR ANIMALS RESCUED AND ADOPTED OUT BY THE ORGANIZATION. THROUGH ITS PUBLIC SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS, ARF REDUCES THE OVERSUPPLY OF COMPANION ANIMALS BY PREVENTING BREEDING OF PETS IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND PROVIDES LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH ARF'S MOBILE CLINIC, LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES ARE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC. ARF PERFORMED 1,898 SURGERIES THIS YEAR WHICH HELPS BREAK THE CYCLE OF COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION. THROUGH ARF'S EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND, 201 VETERINARY CARE EXAMS WERE PROVIDED FOR CATS AND DOGS BELONGING TO LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, HELPING TO KEEP PETS IN THEIR EXISTING HOMES. SOME OF THOSE EMF EXAMS LED TO OTHER ANESTHETIC PROCEDURES, SUCH AS DENTAL PROPHYLAXIS FOR 70 PATIENTS.

HUMANE EDUCATION:ARF OFFERS INNOVATIVE HUMANE EDUCATION LESSONS AT NO-COST TO CLASSROOMS ACROSS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND BRINGS STUDENTS TO ARF'S FACILITY FOR EDUCATIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER FIELD TRIPS IN THE LEARNING CENTER. CHILDREN AGES 2-18 ATTEND THEMED CAMPS, VOLUNTEER TRAINING, SERVICE LEARNING, SPECIAL EVENTS, FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND PARTIES WHICH TEACH CHILDREN TO CARE FOR ANIMALS AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS: THE ARF PET SAFETY NET PROGRAM SERVED 321 FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR PETS - PROVIDING RESOURCES, COUNSELING, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.ARF'S FOODSHARE PROGRAM DELIVERED 157,589 POUNDS OF PET FOOD AND LITTER TO LOW-INCOME PET GUARDIANS, GUARDIANS OF COMMUNITY CATS, AND CRISIS CENTER PARTNERS.ARF'S PETS AND VETS PROGRAM MATCHES VA-REFERRED VETERANS WHO SUFFER FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA WITH SPECIALLY SELECTED SHELTER DOGS AT NO COST. THESE DOGS MAY BE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS (ESAS) OR MAY BE CANDIDATES TO BECOME SERVICE DOGS FOR THE VETERANS. FOR SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES, ARF'S PROGRAM LEADS TEAMS THROUGH AN INTENSIVE PROGRAM WHICH DIRECTS THE VETERANS IN TRAINING THEIR DOGS TO BECOME THEIR OWN SKILLED SERVICE ANIMALS. VETERANS EXPERIENCE THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF LIVING WITH A DOG AS THEY LEARN AND TRAIN AS A TEAM IN A STRUCTURED CLASS ENVIRONMENT IN COMRADERY WITH OTHER VETERANS. FREE WELLNESS CARE, VACCINATIONS, AND PREVENTATIVE PROCEDURES WERE PROVIDED TO 291 VETERANS' PETS AT OUR NEW PETS AND VETS CLINIC. ARF ALSO OFFERS FREE PET FOOD AND ASSISTANCE WITH VETERINARY EXPENSES TO VETERAN CLIENTS WITH SERVICE DOGS. THIS YEAR, 44 ANIMALS WERE PAIRED WITH MILITARY VETERANS; 24 SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES AND 20 ESAS.TRAINING: ARF OFFERS CLASSES FOR PEOPLE AND THEIR DOGS, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS AND CROSS-SPECIES COMMUNICATION HELPING THEM TO ENHANCE THEIR TIME TOGETHER. CLASSES INCLUDE BASIC MANNERS ONE AND TWO, PUPPY MANNERS, REACTIVE ROVER, PUPPY SOCIALS (SUPERVISED PLAYGROUPS), AND PET FIRST AID. CLASSES ARE DESIGNED FOR ALL LEVELS, FROM BEGINNERS TO EXPERIENCED DOG GUARDIANS. IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF 363 DOG AND CAT GUARDIANS WERE ASSISTED THROUGH ARF'S BEHAVIOR CONSULTATION LINE.

ANIMAL CARE & ADOPTIONS:THIS YEAR, ARF MATCHED 1,362 CATS AND DOGS WITH NEW FAMILIES THROUGH OUR ADOPTION PROGRAM. EACH ANIMAL IS BEHAVIORALLY AND MEDICALLY EVALUATED, MEDICALLY TREATED AS NEEDED, SPAYED OR NEUTERED, AND MICROCHIPPED PRIOR TO ADOPTION. DOGS AND CATS RECEIVE QUALITY CARE AND ENRICHMENT WHILE THEY AWAIT NEW HOMES.

VETERINARY CLINIC:ARF'S CLINIC PROVIDES MEDICAL CARE AND SURGERIES FOR ANIMALS RESCUED AND ADOPTED OUT BY THE ORGANIZATION. THROUGH ITS PUBLIC SPAY AND NEUTER PROGRAMS, ARF REDUCES THE OVERSUPPLY OF COMPANION ANIMALS BY PREVENTING BREEDING OF PETS IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND PROVIDES LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OTHER RESCUE ORGANIZATIONS. THROUGH ARF'S MOBILE CLINIC, LOW-COST SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES ARE PROVIDED TO THE PUBLIC. ARF PERFORMED 1,898 SURGERIES THIS YEAR WHICH HELPS BREAK THE CYCLE OF COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION. THROUGH ARF'S EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND, 201 VETERINARY CARE EXAMS WERE PROVIDED FOR CATS AND DOGS BELONGING TO LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, HELPING TO KEEP PETS IN THEIR EXISTING HOMES. SOME OF THOSE EMF EXAMS LED TO OTHER ANESTHETIC PROCEDURES, SUCH AS DENTAL PROPHYLAXIS FOR 70 PATIENTS.

HUMANE EDUCATION:ARF OFFERS INNOVATIVE HUMANE EDUCATION LESSONS AT NO-COST TO CLASSROOMS ACROSS CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, AND BRINGS STUDENTS TO ARF'S FACILITY FOR EDUCATIONAL ANIMAL SHELTER FIELD TRIPS IN THE LEARNING CENTER. CHILDREN AGES 2-18 ATTEND THEMED CAMPS, VOLUNTEER TRAINING, SERVICE LEARNING, SPECIAL EVENTS, FAMILY PROGRAMS, AND PARTIES WHICH TEACH CHILDREN TO CARE FOR ANIMALS AT HOME AND IN THE COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS: THE ARF PET SAFETY NET PROGRAM SERVED 321 FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR PETS - PROVIDING RESOURCES, COUNSELING, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.ARF'S FOODSHARE PROGRAM DELIVERED 157,589 POUNDS OF PET FOOD AND LITTER TO LOW-INCOME PET GUARDIANS, GUARDIANS OF COMMUNITY CATS, AND CRISIS CENTER PARTNERS.ARF'S PETS AND VETS PROGRAM MATCHES VA-REFERRED VETERANS WHO SUFFER FROM PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA WITH SPECIALLY SELECTED SHELTER DOGS AT NO COST. THESE DOGS MAY BE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS (ESAS) OR MAY BE CANDIDATES TO BECOME SERVICE DOGS FOR THE VETERANS. FOR SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES, ARF'S PROGRAM LEADS TEAMS THROUGH AN INTENSIVE PROGRAM WHICH DIRECTS THE VETERANS IN TRAINING THEIR DOGS TO BECOME THEIR OWN SKILLED SERVICE ANIMALS. VETERANS EXPERIENCE THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF LIVING WITH A DOG AS THEY LEARN AND TRAIN AS A TEAM IN A STRUCTURED CLASS ENVIRONMENT IN COMRADERY WITH OTHER VETERANS. FREE WELLNESS CARE, VACCINATIONS, AND PREVENTATIVE PROCEDURES WERE PROVIDED TO 291 VETERANS' PETS AT OUR NEW PETS AND VETS CLINIC. ARF ALSO OFFERS FREE PET FOOD AND ASSISTANCE WITH VETERINARY EXPENSES TO VETERAN CLIENTS WITH SERVICE DOGS. THIS YEAR, 44 ANIMALS WERE PAIRED WITH MILITARY VETERANS; 24 SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES AND 20 ESAS.TRAINING: ARF OFFERS CLASSES FOR PEOPLE AND THEIR DOGS, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS AND CROSS-SPECIES COMMUNICATION HELPING THEM TO ENHANCE THEIR TIME TOGETHER. CLASSES INCLUDE BASIC MANNERS ONE AND TWO, PUPPY MANNERS, REACTIVE ROVER, PUPPY SOCIALS (SUPERVISED PLAYGROUPS), AND PET FIRST AID. CLASSES ARE DESIGNED FOR ALL LEVELS, FROM BEGINNERS TO EXPERIENCED DOG GUARDIANS. IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF 363 DOG AND CAT GUARDIANS WERE ASSISTED THROUGH ARF'S BEHAVIOR CONSULTATION LINE.