SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — C.A.R.E.4Paws is hosting a donation and drive-thru adoption event in Santa Barbara County.
The Donation Drive-Thru & Home for the Holidays Adoption Festival will help support families in need with pets and help shelter animals find their forever homes.
Supporters will be able to drive through and drop off the dog and cat food along with monetary donations to help C.A.R.E.4Paws with their efforts.
There will adoptable pets from the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society in Partnership with Dog Adoption Welfare Group (DAWG), Aussie Rescue Networking Group, Santa Barbara Humane, Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelters (BUNS) and Spark Rescue for supporters to meet.
The event will be on December 4 at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara and at the Elks Lodge in Santa Maria from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
C.A.R.E.4Paws also offers family photos with Santa for $25 to benefit its programs. Anyone adopting a pet during the festival will receive a complimentary photo.
The organization hopes the event will help raise resources for pet families in need to keep their pets healthy and in their homes. They also hope that adoptable animals from local shelters and rescue groups will find a family during the holidays.
“Pets are family, and people should never be forced to choose between caring for their four-legged family members and caring for themselves,” says Isabelle Gullo, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ co-founder and executive director, who adds that at least 8,000 families in Santa Barbara County live in poverty and, on average, 65 percent of families own at least one pet. “When people live in poverty, so do their pets,” Gullo says. “The good news is that there are many resources available to ensure pets stay at home. Between C.A.R.E.4Paws, our animal and human welfare partners and generous community members, we create a powerful safety net that ensures people and pets stay together.”
Over the last 12 years, C.A.R.E.4Paws has worked to help families keep their pets by providing access to veterinary care, spays and neuters, pet food and supplies. During the pandemic, the nonprofit has tripled the number of pet families it supports to more than 20,000.
To help support C.A.R.E.4Paws with their efforts during the holidays, click here.
For more information on C.A.R.E.4Paws and its services, you can email them at info@care4paws.org or call them at 805-968-2273.