As thousands of Central Coast families struggle to make ends meet, many are fighting to keep their beloved pets fed, healthy and home. To provide urgently needed support, C.A.R.E.4Paws hosted its Howliday Donation Drive-Thru on December 6. Community members dropped off a whole ton of dog and cat food as well as monetary gifts at donation sites in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo (SLO) counties, including Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Showgrounds, La Cumbre Feed, Dr. Greenthumb’s Dispensary, Klondike Pizza in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande, Edwards Barn and Creekside Pet Boarding in Arroyo Grande.
And the drive for pet food continued through the month and beyond! Anytime of the year—donation drop-off sites are available at multiple partner locations across Santa Barbara and SLO counties. A full list is available at care4paws.org/drive, where you can also find options to donate funds and contribute food through C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Chewy and Amazon Wish Lists.
A safety net for pet families
“Right now, so many of our neighbors are facing impossible choices, and pets often feel the impact,” says executive director and cofounder Isabelle Gullö. “When families don’t have enough resources, animals are at greater risk of being surrendered to already overwhelmed shelters. C.A.R.E.4Paws is here to prevent that, and we simply can’t do our work without the generosity of this community.”
Most of the food is distributed through Pet Resource Centers co-operated with several animal and human welfare partners, such as Santa Barbara County Animal Services’ (SBCAS), ASAP Cats, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, People Helping People in Solvang, and 5Cities Homeless Coalition. Food is also provided to pet families staying at Good Samaritan Shelter locations and during weekly community events at Santa Barbara’s Alameda Park and the Santa Maria riverbed. In fact, this Thanksgiving, C.A.R.E.4Paws and partners like Community Action Partnership of SLO County (CAPSLO) shared meals and supplies with families in the riverbed.
To learn more and support the food drive, go to our Donation Drive page.
