The Latest Scoop
We invite you to celebrate the Happy Tails!
Join us on Saturday, May 18, for our Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser 2024 at the Music Academy in Montecito, 4pm to 8pm. The event highlights C.A.R.E.4Paws’ critical community work and 15 years of serving pet families on the Central Coast. Enjoy great food... read more
We go the distance!
On Sunday, March 3, our Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach team hosted a successful event in Cuyama Valley with Santa Barbara County Animal Services, providing spays/neuters, vaccines, microchips and other critical services for more than 150 pets. We... read more
Chumash Casino goers give back
We thank our friends at Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Chumash Foundation for the amazing opportunity to participate in Chumash Casino Resort's Everi Cares Giving Module, which encourages gaming patrons to donate change from redeemed gaming vouchers to charity.... read more
Stay Pawsitive Swag sponsors spays/neuters
It’s February and we kick off Spay & Neuter Awareness Month with a Stay Pawsitive Swag fundraiser to support pet families who cannot afford to alter their dogs and cats. Check out our awesome shirts and hoodies at bonfire.com/care4paws. Part of the sales sponsor... read more
Spayathon helps hundreds of pets
To help curb local shelter intake numbers and improve pet family welfare, C.A.R.E.4Paws and Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) organized a "spayathon” the weekend of January 27-28 at SBCAS’ shelter location in Santa Maria, altering more than 100 dogs and... read more
Keep us rolling!
$2 a mile. That’s what it costs to drive C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile veterinary clinics to and from communities in Santa Barbara and SLO Counties, where we assist pet families in need with critical wellness services. This season, from GivingTuesday on November 27 through... read more
Spayathon helps curb pet overpopulation
On October 21-22, our amazing "spayathon" team altered 131 cats and dogs, the most surgeries we've performed in two days in the history of C.A.R.E.4Paws. Four amazing surgery crews operated out of our mobile units and inside Santa Barbara County Animal Services'... read more
Hundreds of families joined to Walk Against Abuse
C.A.R.E.4Paws’ annual event, Walk Against Abuse, raises funds and awareness for Safe Haven, a program that supports domestic violence survivors and their companion pets. Cohosted with Elings Park in Santa Barbara, our family-friendly event includes a dog walk through... read more
Partnerships for unhoused pet families
We are pawsitively happy with our 2023 partnership with The Street Dog Coalition (SDC) to provide pet wellness services to families experiencing homelessness. We have hosted three events so far. Our busy April 15 clinic took place in San Luis Obispo. On June 3, we... read more
Pet wellness on wheels!
Having access to veterinary care improves the lives of pets and their people. Yet, for many families, gaining that access is difficult, unless pet wellness services are brought directly to a family’s neighborhood, which is exactly what C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Mobile Community... read more
Would you like to foster a pet in need?
As our Safe Haven program grows, so does the need for safe, anonymous foster care and boarding for pets of domestic violence survivors. Studies show that survivors stay at least two years longer in a violent situation when family pets are involved. Together, we can... read more
Order your masterpiece today!
C.A.R.E.4Paws is proud to partner with the amazing youth at the United Boys & Girls Club of Lompoc to provide wonderful portraits of all types of pets while raising critical funds for our critical work. We received this fantastic feedback from our community! "What... read more
C.A.R.E.4Paws has received a $120,000 grant from PetSmart Charities!
Incredible news! C.A.R.E.4Paws has received a $120,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to improve access to vet care in Oceano, an underserved community in San Luis Obispo County that lacks pet wellness services of any kind. The funding will allow us to provide critical... read more
Care that keeps pets with the people who love them!
A one-of-a-kind nonprofit on California’s Central Coast, C.A.R.E.4Paws works directly in the community to provide critical services for pet families in need, improving pet family welfare, preventing suffering and saving lives! Check out our brand-new video, which... read more
Pet families share their Happy Tails!
Every year, C.A.R.E.4Paws assists thousands of pet families in need with critical services, ensuring animals stay healthy and with the people who love them. Here are heartfelt stories, or "happy tails," from families about how C.A.R.E.4Paws has made an impact in their... read more
Did someone say FREE microchips for dogs and cats?
That's right! Now through July 2, we provide free chips at all Pet Wellness Clinics through our partnership with Santa Barbara County Animal Services, Lompoc's CAPA and San Luis Obispo County Animal Services (we cohost a big clinic with SLO animal services on July 2).... read more
Celebrating the Happy Tails!
Event raises record-breaking $170,000 for C.A.R.E.4Paws By: Santa Barbara New-Press, Annika Bahnsen Photos by Kenneth Song / News-Press Photos Published May 23, 2023 C.A.R.E.4Paws — a Santa Barbara County nonprofit that keeps animals out of shelters and improves... read more
Ava Vasquez’s successful foodraiser!
Our volunteer Ava Vasquez did it again—and some! 👏🥳 Just like last year in April, Ava coordinated a weeklong pet food drive at her former elementary school, Santa Barbara's Vieja Valley Elementary. She raised more than 800lbs of food with the help of the school's... read more
Rolling into the future!
For two years, C.A.R.E.4Paws has been fundraising for a brand-new, 37-foot mobile clinic to augment our two existing and older, 26-foot veterinary vehicles. We are so excited share that—thanks to the generous support of our community—we have met and even surpassed our... read more
Our SLO partner event helped 175 pets!
Wow! Our first Pet Wellness Clinic cohosted with San Luis Obispo (SLO) County Animal Services in SLO City was incredibly busy from start to finish. We helped 175 pets with critical services, such as $5 rabies vaccines and low-cost spays/neuters and medical... read more
Going the distance!
We are on a roll to curb pet overpopulation. Spaying/neutering prevents unwanted litters, suffering and pet homelessness. It reduces the risk of deadly cancers and pyometra infections and can improve a pet's behavior too! That's why C.A.R.E.4Paws' mobile clinics... read more
A Safe Haven for pets in need
Every hour of every day in the United States alone, hundreds of people and their companion animals suffer abuse. Animal cruelty is strongly correlated with violence against people, and pets are often used as “pawns” in domestic violence situations to prevent family... read more
Services for the unhoused
On the first Thursday of each month at 5pm in Alameda Park, 1400 Santa Barbara Street, Santa Barbara we offer support for pet families experiencing homelessness. This includes provision of pet food and supplies, basic grooming and access to free and low-cost vaccines,... read more
Care for community cats
Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are home to many colonies of community cats, populations that grow incredibly fast unless you spay/neuter these kitties. C.A.R.E.4Paws helps curb overpopulation by altering several hundred community cats annually through TNR... read more
Bringing pet wellness to communities in need
Every time we roll out our mobile units, we host a walk-in Pet Wellness Clinic with low-cost vaccines, flea treatment, dewormer, microchips and nail trims for dogs and cats. These services help keep pets happy and healthy and prevent outbreaks of disease. In 2022, we... read more
Ensuring lost pets find their way home!
In 2022, we microchipped 2,763 pets for free! This means over 2500 dogs and cats now have a permanent ID if they ever get lost. Microchips are a wonderful way to help our four-legged friends find their way home. A big thank you to our microchip sponsors: Santa Barbara... read more
Another record-breaking year – thanks to YOU!
Happy 2023! We’re excited for what’s ahead this year and also about our record-breaking 2022. We have: Spayed/neutered 2,300 dogs and cats, up from 2,025 in 2021! Assisted 1,700 pets with veterinary care. Provided 18,000 vaccines, flea treatments, deworming... read more
The Howliday Drive was a huge success!
Our Howliday Donation Drive-Thru on Saturday, December 3 was a huge success! We raised more than ONE TON of pet food and $25,000 in monetary gifts, including $20,000 toward the purchase of a brand-new mobile clinic from our longtime supporter Lyn Proctor. We have also... read more
A pawsitive note from longtime donor, Lyn Proctor
“C.A.R.E.4Paws and I share a commitment and drive to make a difference! There are many animal organizations in our area, but what drew me to C.A.R.E.4Paws in the organization’s infancy was cofounders Isabelle Gullö and Carlos Abitia and the dedicated group of... read more
A heartfelt thanks from executive director Isabelle Gullö
With your help, we keep pet families healthy and together! C.A.R.E.4Paws has had another record year assisting animals and pet families in need. The demand for help is greater than ever as thousands of community members still struggle to make ends meet in the... read more
Expansion to San Luis Obispo County
In 2022, C.A.R.E.4Paws expanded our mobile pet wellness services to San Luis Obispo (SLO) County through Snip & Chip SLO, a community-based program developed alongside SLO nonprofits Animals in Need Fund and Animal Shelter Adoption Partners. The only initiative of... read more
Creativity with compassion
The youth at United Boys & Girls Club in Lompoc continue to amaze us with their pet portraits, which they create from photos of beloved pets. Portraits are $50 and the money raised supports C.A.R.E.4Paws’ critical programs. Order your portrait today, whether it’s... read more
Mobile spay marathon in Palmdale
October 22 and 23 was a big weekend for C.A.R.E.4Paws! For the first time in our 13-year history, our clinic team traveled to Palmdale and Subaru Antelope Valley for a big spay/neuter weekend with Karma Rescue. We altered 54 dogs and cats, making a dent in the area’s... read more
Walk Against Abuse—a pawsome event!
On Sunday, September 18, C.A.R.E.4Paws, Domestic Violence Solutions for Santa Barbara County and Elings Park hosted the inaugural Walk Against Abuse. More than 200 people and almost as many dogs came out to support Safe Haven, a program that assists pet families... read more
Youth making a difference
In the fall of 2022, we loved having Jayden volunteer with us during a clinic day in Santa Maria. He’s planning to become a veterinarian when he grows up, and maybe he will come work for C.A.R.E.4Paws! We also had animal lover David Dominguez come to visit our clinic... read more
400 FREE microchips!
A big thank you to our microchip sponsors: Santa Barbara County Animal Services and Lompoc’s CAPA. We microchipped 400 pets for free from June 1 through July 6! This means 400 dogs and cats now have a permanent ID if they ever get lost.
We’ve got food!
C.A.R.E.4Paws just received an anonymous donation of six pallets of pet food to support families in need in our community. We are so grateful for this most amazing contribution, which will feed hundreds of pets! A special thanks to the team that drove down to Orange... read more
Go team! The numbers look good.
We're crunching mobile clinic numbers, and halfway through the year, C.A.R.E.4Paws is on track to alter more than 2,000 dogs and cats again in 2022! We are assisting 150 pets with vet care monthly and hundreds more through our vaccine clinics. Go team! read more
Santa Barbara Police Department and City Animal Control assists C.A.R.E4Paws
We thank Santa Barbara Police Department and City Animal Control for the $2,000 grant to sponsor spays/neuters of city dogs and cats in C.A.R.E.4Paws' mobile clinic. Over the last seven years, our wonderful partnership has helped alter several hundred pets, keeping... read more
Going the extra mile!
In 2021, our Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach team helped more than 10,000 dogs and cats with critical services. Operating at least one of our mobile clinics four or five times per week, we spayed or neutered 2,025 pets and provided veterinary... read more
Celebrating the Happy Tails
On Sunday, May 22, C.A.R.E.4Paws hosted our hybrid Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser at the Music Academy of the West. We raised more than $135,000 for C.A.R.E.4Paws' programs and are so grateful to everyone who supported our event, in person and virtually from... read more
TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) Pet Food Drive
Thanks to everyone who donated and a special thank you to TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) for hosting a pet food drive for C.A.R.E.4Paws and families in need in our community from April 18-30, 2022. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner up for this successful drive. TVSB has also helped C.A.R.E.4Paws through their great video services.
Local student Ava Vasquez organizes schoolwide pet food drive
Source: C.A.R.E.4Paws Since the pandemic started, nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws has distributed more than 850,000 pounds of pet food to families in need through its mobile veterinary clinic and regular community events. While life is returning to normal for many community... read more
Anniversary grant from Montecito Bank & Trust
C.A.R.E.4Paws is grateful to be one of 10 nonprofits to receive an Anniversary Grant from Montecito Bank & Trust, including generous program funding and a video about our organization. We cannot thank the bank and its amazing associates enough! In the photo: MB&T’s chairman and CEO, Janet Garufis, and president and chief operating officer, George Leis, with C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Chris Harris and Isabelle Gullo.
Featured on TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) and 805 Focus show with Cynder Sinclair of Nonprofit Kinect
In March, we were featured on TV Santa Barbara (TVSB) and 805 Focus show with Cynder Sinclair of Nonprofit Kinect. We appreciate the opportunity to share news about C.A.R.E.4Paws’ work in the community and how this great show supports local nonprofits. read more
We’ve expanded to SLO County!
C.A.R.E.4Paws now host Pet Wellness Clinics in San Luis Obispo (SLO) County alongside SLO nonprofits Animals in Need Fund and Animal Shelter Adoption Partners. Snip & Chip SLO aims to curb pet overpopulation, prevent pet homelessness and euthanasia of adoptable... read more
New videos highlight our critical work
We are excited to show off several new videos that highlight our work in the community, including with our Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach, pet food distribution services, assistance for pet owners experiencing homelessness, our Safe Haven program from... read more
Assisting a community in need
Since the start of COVID-19, our Companion Pet Assistance program has provided more than four tons of pet food weekly to pet owners in need, compared to two tons in all of 2019. We distribute pet food in our mobile clinic and during events with agencies such as the... read more
Our 2021 Holiday Drive
Our Donation Drive-Thru & Home for the Holidays Adoption Festival on December 4, 2022, at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara and the Elks Lodge in Santa Maria was a great success! The communi has helped hundreds of pet families in need. The festival also... read more
Foodraising with ResQcats
We could not be more grateful to Jeffyne Telson and ResQcats for hosting a cat-food drive for C.A.R.E.4Paws, first in September 2020, then through the holidays and now she continues into 2021. ResQcats has raised more than $13,000 worth of food, which helps feed so... read more
Compassion counts!
We keep working with youth enrolled in afterschool-care at the YMCA in Lompoc as well as at the United Boys & Girls Clubs in Lompoc and Goleta. The kids learn about compassionate pet care, safety around animals, dog training and more. The get to meet and hang out... read more
Grooming for dogs of the homeless
On the first Thursday of each month, we provide baths for homeless community members with A's Dog Grooming at Santa Barbara's Alameda Park. We have spent every Thursday at the park since the beginning of summer, distributing pet food, blankets, pet beds, flea... read more
Pawsome pet food partners
C.A.R.E.4Paws is truly grateful to our partners and donors, who contribute food and also collect pet food donations for us. This includes awesome businesses and nonprofit friends such as Montecito Pet Shop, Dioji K-9 Resort & Athletic Club, Foodbank of Santa... read more
Our Congressional Award!
We are very honored to receive a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Salud Carbajal for our work in the community since 2009 and our unprecedented efforts during COVID-19. Thank you for the wonderful acknowledgment! You can view all of... read more
A Texas pet rescue team effort
On March 6 and 7, our C.A.R.E.4Paws crew transported 22 shelter dogs and one cat from Texas in a collaboration with Santa Barbara County Animal Services (check out the KEYT video!). Winter storms have left Texas shelters beyond overcrowded and these agencies have to... read more
Our pet wellness clinics help hundreds of animals weekly
Every week, we host multiple Pet Wellness Clinics, assisting hundreds of dogs and cats in need with vaccines, flea treatment, dewormer, nail trims, microchips, and emergency pet food distribution, in addition to and free and low-cost spays/neuters and critical medical... read more
Our first pet food donation drive-thru
In 2020, our mobile clinic team performed 2,005 spay/neuter surgeries and provided medical care to 1,823 dogs and cats—compared to 1,300 spays/neuters and 1,100 pets assisted with veterinary care in 2019. The provision of 65 percent more clinic services in 2020... read more
Two new pet resource centers
On May 26, we co-launched two new Pet Resource Centers at Santa Barbara County Animal Services' shelters in Lompoc and Santa Barbara. This adds to the center launched in 2020 at SBCAS’ Santa Maria shelter and the 10 centers that we have operated with other agencies... read more
Our successful Happy Tails Celebration!
On Sunday, June 13, C.A.R.E.4Paws hosted our virtual Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser and we raised more than $110,000 thanks to our incredible sponsors and donors! Our event highlighted our work in the community and featured heartfelt Happy Tails from some of... read more
A pet wellness clinic in Guadalupe
We hosted a great Pet Wellness Clinic in Guadalupe On June 27, providing vaccines, flea treatment, nail trims, spays/neuters, dentals and other critical care for more than 150 pets. Santa Barbara County Animal Services sold licenses and microchipped 60 dogs and cats... read more
Wags n’ Whiskers Festival 2019
About the largest animal festival on the Central Coast Wags n' Whiskers joins the local pet-loving community for a fun day in the Santa Barbara sun, celebrating animals and the outstanding organizations and businesses that help our animal friends. Our free,... read more