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 THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS.

ANIMAL CARE & ADOPTIONS:THIS YEAR, ARF MATCHED 1,517 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, TRAINING, AND ENRICHMENT WHILE THEY AWAIT NEW HOMES.

BEHAVIOR & TRAINING: ARF OFFERS CLASSES FOR DOGS AND THEIR GUARDIANS, TEACHING SOCIAL SKILLS AND STRENGTHENING THE HUMAN-ANIMAL BOND. THIS YEAR, ARF RESUMED IN-PERSON CLASSES INCLUDING BASIC MANNERS AND PUPPY SOCIALS (SUPERVISED PLAYGROUPS) FOR 527 DOGS. ADDITIONALLY, ARF RE-ESTABLISHED ITS PRIVATE CONSULTATION PROGRAM, OFFERING IN-PERSON SESSIONS AS WELL AS PHONE CONSULTATIONS FOR A TOTAL OF 215 DOG AND CAT GUARDIANS.

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. ARF PERFORMED 2,620 SURGERIES THIS YEAR WHICH HELPS BREAK THE CYCLE OF COMPANION ANIMAL OVERPOPULATION. THROUGH ARF'S EMERGENCY MEDICAL FUND, 118 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 FOR 76 PATIENTS IN NEED OF DENTAL PROPHYLAXIS WITH EXTRACTIONS, MASS REMOVALS, ENUCLEATION, AND IN ONE CASE AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY TO REPAIR A BROKEN LIMB.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS:THE ARF PET SAFETY NET PROGRAM SERVED 451 FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO KEEP THEIR PETS - PROVIDING RESOURCES, COUNSELING, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. ARF'S RESOURCE CENTER RESPONDED TO 1,343 CALLS AND EMAIL INQUIRIES FOR ANIMAL-RELATED ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE.ARF'S FOODSHARE PROGRAM DELIVERED 147,941 POUNDS OF PET FOOD AND CAT LITTER TO LOW-INCOME PET GUARDIANS, CARETAKERS OF COMMUNITY CATS, AND CRISIS CENTER PARTNERS. AN AVERAGE OF 2,624 ANIMALS WERE SERVED BY THE PROGRAM EACH MONTH.ARF'S PETS AND VETS PROGRAM MATCHES VETERANS ADMINISTRATION (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 PSYCHIATRIC 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 625 VETERANS' PETS AT OUR ONSITE PETS AND VETS CLINIC AND MOBILE CLINIC AT THE VA. ARF ALSO OFFERS FREE PET FOOD AND ASSISTANCE WITH VETERINARY EXPENSES TO VETERAN CLIENTS WITH SERVICE DOGS. THIS YEAR, 48 ANIMALS WERE PAIRED WITH MILITARY VETERANS; 38 SERVICE DOG CANDIDATES AND 10 ESAS. IN-PERSON SERVICE DOG TRAINING CLASSES RESUMED IN NOVEMBER 2021 WITH AN ACTIVE ENROLLMENT OF 42 STUDENTS.